Identiv Expects Healthy Demand for Its RFID Platform

With a focus on growth, global security technology company Identiv has secured a $20 million loan to retire debt and create liquidity of funds for its anticipated acceleration in delivering what it calls "trust for everyday items," in the form of EPC Gen 2 ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) and high-frequency (HF) Near Field Communication (NFC) RFID technology production. The firm has launched a new marketing campaign known as "Trust Your World" (Identiv asserts that trust is fundamental to identity), featuring its Identiv Trust Services (ITS) platform of solutions, including passive UHF and HF RFID tags for use in personnel, consumer and asset identity-management systems across a broad spectrum of industries, such as retail, logistics and health care. - See more at: http://www.rfidjournal.com/articles/view?11724#sthash.jwF7HAzR.dpuf

Survey: Use of item-level RFID growing, but slowly

Companies continue to take small steps toward the implementation of passive item-level radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, according to the results of a recent survey of DC Velocity and CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly readers conducted by the consulting firm Collaborative Energizer LLC. Item-level RFID marks individual products with their own unique identification tags. Passive tags are those that require an outside power source for activation. Only 29 percent of survey respondents said that they have deployed passive item-level RFID. As for the benefits of such deployment, 72 percent of survey takers said they had either already achieved or expected to achieve improved information accuracy. Another 70 percent cited improved customer service as a benefit, while 60 percent cited improvements in inventory management.

Macy's moves RFID beyond the supply chain

Radio frequency identification, or RFID, was once seen as the future of supply chain efficiency, but these days it seems RFID's real value may be found in the storefront and not in the back room. In 2009, Macy's saw the value in using the technology at retail locations, which resembles a barcode but works wirelessly and with more metadata. And with the rise of mobile devices and mobile commerce, RFID is more important to the store than ever.

London Underground to accept NFC smartphone payments

Londoners will be able to pay for their Tube journeys using their NFC-enabled smartphones by the end of the year, according to Transport for London. Mobile devices will communicate with the network’s ticket barriers using the same technology as existing Oyster cards and contactless credit and debit cards.

Delhi Metro smart cards can soon be used in DTC buses

New Delhi: Passengers will soon be able to use the Delhi Metro train smart cards to travel in DTC buses and cluster buses run by DIMTS. Delhi government's long pending proposal in this regard has been approved by the Lt Governor following which the proposal has been sent to the Election Commission for clearance. According to transport department officials software used in the ticketing process will be changed or will be made specially equipped so that it can accept the Metro smart cards.

Fortune Highlights the Value of RFID to Brick-and-Mortar Retailers

The mainstream business press hasn't quite caught up with the reality that radio frequency identification technology has matured and is delivering benefits to companies in every industry and in every corner of the world. But that might be changing. A recent article posted on Fortune's website explains that Macy's and other brick-and-mortar retailers are using RFID to compete more effectively with online retailers, such as Amazon.com (see Can RFID save brick-and-mortar retailers after all?). After explaining that the early promise of transforming Walmart's supply chain didn't pan out, the article says: "Today, RFID has landed a high-demand job: Helping retailers become more competitive with online sellers, through 'omnichannel' sales—closing a sale on the buyer's terms, whether in the store, on the Web, using social media, or through some combination of those channels." - See more at: http://www.rfidjournal.com/blogs/rfid-journal/entry?10998#sthash.oZJEalM0.dpuf

New RFID WI-FI Antenna for Inventory Offered in Canadian Market

RFID Canada, technology provider and Canadian distributor for FEIG ELECTRONIC is introducing a new RFID Antenna for Inventory tracking the PRH200. The HF RFID antenna has an integrated battery operated Wi-Fi reader, is lightweight weighing only 600 grams (1.3 lbs) and is designed for one-handed operation.
The antenna and reader provide outstanding performance with 1.5W and 4.0W power modes which makes it ideal for inventory taking in environments with high density of items such as libraries and health care. The reader can also be used for applications such as document and asset management. It can operate for up to 16 hours on a single charge.

A Dropbox for the Internet of Things

With the advent of the Internet of things, potentially billions of devices will report data about themselves, making it possible to create new applications in areas as diverse as factory optimization, car maintenance, or simply keeping track of your stuff online. But doing this today requires at least some degree of programming knowledge. Now Bug Labs, a New York City company, is trying to make it as easy to create an Internet of things application as it is to put a file into Dropbox.
With a new service called Freeboard, Bug Labs is giving people a simple one-click way to publish data from a “thing” to its own Web page (Bug Labs calls this “dweeting”). To get a sense of this, visit Dweet.io with your computer or mobile phone, click “try it now,” and you’ll see raw data from your device itself: its GPS coordinates and even the position of your computer mouse. The data is now on a public Web page and available for analysis and aggregation; another click stops this sharing.

SMARTRAC and RFMicron Launch Co-Operation on Smart RFID Sensing

SMARTRAC has announced its co-operation with sensor specialist RFMicron. Goal is to jointly develop smart sensing solutions integrated in passive RFID, which enables affordable and robust sensor technology without battery lifetime worries.
Both companies are already working on spearhead projects within industrial automation and the construction industry. Primary joint efforts aim at allowing moisture and pressure sensing integrated into RFID. Further projects are in planning stages.

Printer Primer: Samsung Printer Xpress M2835DW

One of the newest models to hit the market from Samsung, the Printer Xpress M2835DW is part of the second set of Near Field Communication(NFC)-enabled printers which have come out recently. A single function monochrome model, it offers print speeds of up to 29ppm and first page out times of under 9 seconds. It is also reasonably compact at 14.5” x 13.2” x 8.0” (W x D x H). Further, it comes with a 600MHz processor, 128MB of internal memory, and 12,000 maximum monthly duty cycle.
One draw to this model is likely to come from its bevy of wireless printing options. As is mentioned above, it is NFC-enabled which allows users to establish a connection to the printer simply by tapping your mobile device on it.

Digital Wayfinding Now Available in Greeley CO

Discovering the best of the “Creative District” in Greeley, Colorado is now easy, thanks to a new wayfinding system that combines on-site digital signage with interactive mobile technology. The Greeley Creative District (GCD) is a local hub for art, entertainment, enrichment, and history. In an effort to promote the area, Greeley has deployed wayfinding software that allows citizens and visitors to quickly see - via mobile device or home computer - all the neighborhood has to offer.

Reaching people on-the-go is a key component of the mobile community maps. Wayfinding signs placed strategically in parks, store windows, and other public spaces invite pedestrians to pull out their smartphones and start exploring. Some of the signs are shaped like a mobile device to catch the attention of users; others are located on wayfinding kiosks mounted in public buildings. NFC tags (digital chips built into modern mobile devices) allow users to immediately access a location-based guide to what’s nearby - from coffee shops to libraries to public art, and even local events. Using this wayfinding design, discovery is made simple for citizens and tourists, with no download or installation required. “Discover Greeley Creative District” catches people where they are - out and about - and entices them to walk, shop, and enjoy the richness of the neighborhood.
While browsing the mobile maps, users can tap a location for more information, such as the historic significance of the Union Pacific Depot or the operating hours of the Atlas Theater. Contact information and websites are readily available - right within the app - for people who wish to know more. And a built-in widget keeps pedestrians on the right track as they head for their next destination.
The mobile maps are a community project. Citizens of Greeley are invited to vote for their favorite places, and add new ones that are missing from the app. Businesses are welcome to purchase advertising with a place marker or detail page, which simultaneously helps support the project and boost the local economy. The interactive wayfinding campaign is helping the GCD to guide local citizens and out-of-town visitors on a journey of discovery that is as unique and delightful as the District itself.

Dolphin RFID Launches Solutions for Tourism, Equipment Maintenance

Dolphin RFID, an India-based developer of radio frequency identification and security solutions, has launched two products intended to bring visibility to very different industries. One solution enables the tracking of maintenance performed on equipment or parts, while the other provides management of tourists and baggage for private tour companies. The five-year-old firm announced the two new solutions, each using Android phones to read data on tagged items, at the RFID Journal LIVE! 2014 conference and exhibition, held last week in Orlando, Fla. - See more at: http://www.rfidjournal.com/articles/view?11686#sthash.XV8U6uKE.dpuf

Here's What's on the Shelves of the Paranoia Market

Thanks to RFID technology, those with passports, drivers licenses and credit cards become potentially high-risk victims of identity thieves in possession of a counterfeit RFID reader. That's opened up the market for a spate of reader-blocking accessories, from wallets to fanny packs to bra stashes. The styles abound, including wallets woven from Stewart/SNDS's slick stainless-steel billfold; Tumi's ID Lock-enhanced accessories; and the more minimalist Kickstarter-funded HuMn wallet. Prices can go into the hundreds of dollars, but the more thrifty have discovered that putting your goods in a simple Altoids tin works, too.

Apple Could Finally Adopt NFC On iPhone For Mobile Payment Plans And Touch ID

Apple’s 2014 roadmap was laid out in pretty considerable detail by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this week in an investor note, and while ordinarily analyst predictions aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on, Kuo has a solid track record of actually getting things right. Among Kuo’s predictions are larger iPhones, a Retina MacBook Air, improved Apple TV, iPad with Touch ID and iWatch launch later this year. But one small detail could have more potential impact than all the rest: NFC inclusion in iWatch and iPhone devices. Apple has never thought much of NFC, at least when it comes to its own devices, and has avoided building the communication tech into its gadgets for years while the Android competition turned it into a device default.

How to convert a PDF to ePUB

There’s some debate as to whether PDF files or ePUBs are easier to read. Some say that PDFs produce less eye strain and provide a more aesthetically pleasing experience because PDFs are restricted to showing pages as they were originally saved, omitting adjustments for images, font size, and other page aspects. On the other hand, some prefer ePUB’s flexibility. ePUBs allow text size to adjust to the dimensions of your tablet or eReader’s screen, while retaining the original formatting and layout.

Egypt to introduce smart card for subsidised bread by July

Egypt will introduce a smart card system for subsidised bread nationwide by July, in an attempt to curb corruption and smuggling, Supplies Minister Khaled Hanafi said on Sunday.
A pilot scheme was launched in the Suez Canal city of Port Said on Sunday and will be implemented in other cities next week.

SEPTA smart-card official retires

The leader of SEPTA's delayed $130 million smart-card fare system retired last week and went to work for the company that is assisting SEPTA in creating the new system. John McGee, SEPTA's chief officer of new payment technologies, is prohibited by SEPTA rules from working on the SEPTA project for one year for his new employer, LTK Engineering Services of Ambler.

The leader of SEPTA's delayed $130 million smart-card fare system retired last week and went to work for the company that is assisting SEPTA in creating the new system.
John McGee, SEPTA's chief officer of new payment technologies, is prohibited by SEPTA rules from working on the SEPTA project for one year for his new employer, LTK Engineering Services of Ambler.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/business/transportation/20140412_SEPTA_smart-card_official_retires__takes_job_with_consultant.html#mPhTyEXuSjivDZvq.99

Jamison's Miniature Reader Portal Being Trialed

A hospital and a university are each testing several hundred new Jamison RFID reader portals designed to be small, durable, easy to install and low-cost. The Mini-Hawk portal, commercially introduced at the RFID Journal LIVE! 2014 conference and exhibition, is designed to enclose and protect the RFID reader and two high-gain antennas contained within it, while being easy for an end user to install. The company typically sells its solutions to systems integrators or resellers whose own customers deploy the readers built into Jamison RFID portals for a wide variety of use cases. For firms looking to track items or individuals moving through narrow doorways, hallways and offices, Jamison released the Hawk in 2011. That model is intended for such use cases as tracking files, IT assets, health-care equipment or tools.

HID Global Wins AIM Award and RFID Journal Live! Recognition for Innovative Use of RFID Tags

HID Global has been awarded Most Innovative Use of RFID Technology in the AIM 2014 RFID Case Study competition for its solution that combines RFID tags with NFC-enabled smartphones at Bodega Norton Winery in Argentina. Use of the company’s RFID technology was also integral to Snapsportz being name a runner up for the Most Innovative Use of RFID in the RFID Journal Awards.

Both awards were announced in conjunction with RFID Journal Live!, where HID Trusted Tag Services was also a finalist for Best in Show.

HID Global, in partnership with system integrator Fundación Ada Byron (FAB), enhanced and streamlined the winery’s logistics and processes with a new solution that replaced a cumbersome, outdated tracking system used for compensating employees. This system was based on the manual distribution and collection of thousands of aluminum and plastic chips that tracked the amount of grapes picked by harvesters.

With the new solution, each harvester is issued an armband equipped with a unique HID Global contactless card, grape collection bins are now tagged with HID Epoxy Disc tags and vineyard supervisors are outfitted with NFC-enabled smartphones. The system enables vineyard supervisors to simply place their smartphone next to the harvester’s armband triggering an audible beep that assures both the harvester and supervisor that the collection bin has been counted and credited to the appropriate harvester. For more information, download the Bodega Norton case study or watch the Bodega Norton video.

MAINtag and Zebra Technologies Launch New Enterprise RFID Printing Solution

FLYplug, a new label-based format for aerospace RFID parts identification, has been launched by MAINtag in partnership with Zebra Technologies. FLYplug is easy to use, cost-efficient and practical for aircraft (A/C) manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and MRO sectors that want to upgrade from older barcode identification labels or name plates to a  state-of-the-art, data-robust RFID tagging system.
The FLYplug RFID printing solution includes software license, Zebra Technologies RFID printers (RZ400, RZ600 and R110Xi4 series as well as the new ZT410R and ZT430R) and MAINtag's on-metal ruggedized flexible FLYchip®-embedded RFID tags. This new system sets a standard that outperforms existing on-metal identification.
Based on MAINtag's patented on-metal RFID label (firm-plate) technology, FLYplug is a global integrated printing/encoding enterprise package solution based on ATA Spec 2000. It is the logical stand-alone and networkable solution for fast, fully automated and cost-efficient printing/marking and encoding of RFID-integrated labels.

Wi-Fi teams up with NFC to create secure connections with a simple tap

As Wi-Fi starts making its way into more internet-of-things gadgets, connecting those devices to Wi-Fi networks is becoming a chore. These activity trackers, thermostats and cameras don’t necessarily have the user interfaces or even screens we would use to configure a Wi-Fi connection on our smartphones or PCs. The Wi-Fi Alliance is now trying to make those connections easier with the help of near-field communications (NFC). The Alliance has updated its Wi-Fi Protected Setup certification program to support NFC verification. Instead of entering a password or holding down buttons, you simply tap two Wi-Fi devices with NFC chips together to establish a connection. The technology can be used to connect devices to a local network by tapping a router, or two end-user devices by tapping them together.

Westpac enables tap-to-pay for Samsung devices, but lack of NFC leaves iPhone in cold

Westpac will allow owners of some Samsung devices to make payments through their smartphones from next week, but says it won’t provide an equivalent service for iPhones until Apple integrates a payment technology. The capability, which the bank has been developing with Visa since December, will initially mean those who own the Samsung Galaxy S4 will be able to tap their smartphone on a compatible terminal from next week to make a payment. It will be available on the Samsung Galaxy S5 once it is released this month and will become available on its Note 3 device with a software update.

Avery Enhances RFID-Enabled Solutions

In an attempt to improve inventory accuracy and visibility for retailers and brands, Avery Dennison Retail Branding and Information Solutions (RBIS), a unit of Avery Dennison Corporation (AVY  -  Analyst Report), has widened its Radio-frequency identification (RFID) portfolio. Avery Dennison RBIS is an integrated solutions provider of ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID inlays. Avery Dennison RFID inlays are widely used by global apparel brands and retailers including Macy's, Inc. (M  -  Analyst Report), Marks & Spencer, Lord &Taylor, Gerry Weber and C&A.

Xtreme RFID Relies on New Fortron ICE PPS from Celanese for RFID Tags

Thanks to Fortron ICE polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) from Celanese Corporation Xtreme RFID – a Cascade Engineering company manufacturing one-piece, fully encapsulated RFID tags for asset tracking – is now able to use its proprietary plastic injection molding process to cost effectively manufacture the Allied Series VX-MidTM HT, a rugged, high-temperature mount-on-metal ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag built to withstand extreme industrial environments.
Fortron PPS is a semi-crystalline polymer that features exceptional high-temperature performance up to 240 degrees Celsius (464 degrees Fahrenheit); outstanding resistance to fuels, oils and solvents; excellent hardness, stiffness and dimensional stability; and is inherently flame-resistant.
The 1.1- by 2.3-inch VX-Mid HT package features a 25-foot read range when mounted on metal inventory. A permanently bonded Fortron ICE (Improved Crystallization Evolution) PPS encapsulation prevents water or chemical ingress (IP68 rated) and provides the RFID core with an added physical protection, especially in autoclave processes.
Fortron ICE PPS has quickly enabled expansion of the Allied Series product line, an RFID tag partnership between Xtreme RFID and Vizinex RFID announced in January. With Fortron ICE PPS from Celanese, Xtreme’s proprietary injection molding, and Vizinex’s exclusive ViziCore™ RFID tag technology, the RFID industry is ready to take on the harshest high-temperature application. The Allied Series tags will be featured at Xtreme RFID’s Booth 101 during RFID Journal LIVE! 2014 from April 8-10 in Orlando, Fla.
New Fortron ICE grades use an innovative platform technology developed by Celanese material scientists that deliver material properties that are equivalent to or better than standard injection molding Fortron PPS grades and significantly improves the processing characteristics.

Hanmi IT Markets Item-Level RFID Tracking Software, New Readers

Hanmi IT, a division of Korean pharmaceutical company Hanmi Pharmaceutical Co., has launched multiple pilots of its Keidas RFID software, a platform that it developed for use in-house. The firm is now marketing the solution for use by other companies in the pharmaceutical industry, including manufacturers, hospitals and drug stores. The pilots currently underway include two Korean government programs that are testing the technology throughout the supply chain to harness RFID-based visibility to prevent the theft or counterfeiting of narcotic drugs.

What is the Role of NFC in Our Mobile Future?

As nearly half a billion NFC-enabled mobile devices¹ flood the marketplace, the use of NFC is at a critical point in the market and businesses are looking for guidance on how to leverage the technology. What is the future of NFC mobile technology in the U.S.? How will new innovations with HCE² and BLE³ impact NFC adoption? How can businesses use NFC beyond payments? Find out the answers to these questions and more as the 2014 NFC Solutions Summit heads to Austin this June. The Summit is the leading annual NFC conference, featuring executives from the entire NFC ecosystem.
The 2014 NFC Solutions Summit, presented by the Smart Card Alliance in partnership with the NFC Forum and the NFC World Congress, will be held on June 3-4 at the Renaissance Arboretum Hotel in Austin. Details about the event, attendees, exhibitors and agenda for the pre-conference workshops and the conference are now available at http://www.nfcsolutionssummit.com. Early registration discounts are available until April 4.
"NFC can play a significant role in our mobile future by enabling fast, secure and convenient transactions for payments, access, identity, ticketing and marketing," said Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance. "Now that NFC has become standard in many mobile devices, this Summit will look at the ways we can seize this important opportunity and more quickly put innovative NFC applications into the hands of the millions of consumers who have the technology."
The two-day Summit will include comprehensive NFC topics covering: the state of the technology; developments in new devices and applications; the status of the growing ecosystem; the promise of payments, marketing, access control and other popular applications; implementation guidance; and North American and international experiences with pilots and implementations.
The conference begins on June 3 with a full day of plenary keynote speakers and roundtable panel sessions. On the second day, attendees will be invited to choose from multi-speaker panel sessions in separate NFC Technology and NFC Business Solutions tracks.
Prior to the conference, attendees are invited to attend the "NFC Mobile Security Approaches and Business Applications Workshop," developed and presented by the Smart Card Alliance Educational Institute. The full-day workshop will cover the fundamentals of NFC; security approaches using the Trusted Execution Environment (TEE), secure element and HCE; the use of NFC mobile devices for payments, identity and access control, and other applications; and the role of the various RF technologies supported by mobile phones for different applications. Separate registration and fees apply to attend this course.

RFID Canada forms industry partnership with Wavetrend Europe

Markham ON-based RFID and NFC technology provider RFID Canada has become a fully certified and accredited distribution partner for Wavetrend Europe, a London England-based developer of active RFID products and solutions.“Wavetrend is committed to providing best in class technology and products which offer real-time, automated tracking and management of critical business assets and personnel” says Maggie Meaton, Wavetrend's global director of sales "Our partnership with the leading RFID provider in Canada increases our geographic and vertical market reach for Active RFID technology and will provide RFID Canada’s partners with best of breed solutions to deliver superior asset track and trace capability to their customers."

A Short History of the Modern Bar Code

A time without bar codes is hard to imagine now. But it wasn’t that long ago, and the story doesn’t start with George Laurer. It starts with an engineer named Joseph Woodland. In 1948 Woodland was trying to come up with simple symbol that, when scanned, would translate to a number that a computer could use to identify a product.

Amazon introduces Dash, a scanner and recorder for Amazon Fresh

Amazon is has a new twist in its plan to enter the grocery market with a new hardware product introduced Friday: Amazon Dash, a combination barcode scanner and voice recorder that syncs up to the shopping cart on Amazon Fresh. After connecting to Wi-Fi and linking to a valid Amazon Fresh account, the Amazon Dash can scan the barcodes of items and automatically add that item to a shopping cart. Users can also say a general name of an item, like “carrots” or “eggs,” and the Dash will send the corresponding product to the cart as well. Users must approve the items within the cart for delivery, and then the shipment will show up to the door within 24 hours.

Role of RFID Technology in Retail to Be Highlighted at RFID Journal's LIVE! 2014 Conference

RFID Journal announced today that RFID Journal LIVE! 2014, the world's premier conference and exhibition focused on radio frequency identification (RFID) and its many business applications, will feature an Item-Level Retail and Apparel Workshop, as well as a Retail/Apparel focused conference track.
LIVE! 2014 will be held on Apr. 8-10, 2014, at the Orange County Convention Center, located in Orlando, Fla. The Item-Level Retail and Apparel Workshop will take place on Apr. 8. Retailers worldwide are employing RFID to track individual items, thereby improving inventory accuracy and enabling them to have products on shelves when customers want to buy them. During this workshop, attendees will hear where the benefits are and how to achieve them—plus, they'll receive an update on the GS1 US Item Level RFID Initiative, which is helping to develop standard ways of deploying the technology, as well as best practices.
The conference's opening keynote presentation will be presented by Kim Philips, the head of packaging at Marks & Spencer (M&S), a leading retailer in the United Kingdom, and Richard Jenkins, the company's RFID programme head. M&S expanded its use of RFID technology last year, and plans to have all of its apparel and home goods tagged by this spring. The presenters will share why the company expects the technology's future potential benefits to provide greater visibility and accuracy of all stock at the item level, from when goods leave a supplier to when they move through the distribution chain and into stores, as well as an opportunity to reduce the costs of annual stock-taking. They will also explain how RFID can help to eliminate the loss of margin associated with excessive markdowns, theft and fraud.

CableLabs eyes NFC, RFID tags to deliver personalized programming

CableLabs has developed technology that could help members such as Comcast and Time Warner Cable deliver personalized programming and advertising by relying on mobile devices used by subscribers that contain RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags or NFC (near field communication) chips, according to a recent patent application. The application also details ways that programmers and advertisers may be able to determine how engaged a viewer is, by using "facial recognition, presence detection, movement detection or other device driven means for detecting movement, behavior, stress, biometric information or other features of the viewer that may lend itself to determining engagement with the media," CableLabs states in the patent application, which was published on Feb. 27.

What is the Role of NFC in our Mobile Future?

As nearly half a billion NFC-enabled mobile devices¹ flood the marketplace, the use of NFC is at a critical point in the market and businesses are looking for guidance on how to leverage the technology. What is the future of NFC mobile technology in the U.S.? How will new innovations with HCE² and BLE³ impact NFC adoption? How can businesses use NFC beyond payments? Find out the answers to these questions and more as the 2014 NFC Solutions Summit heads to Austin this June. The Summit is the leading annual NFC conference, featuring executives from the entire NFC ecosystem.
The 2014 NFC Solutions Summit, presented by the Smart Card Alliance in partnership with the NFC Forum and the NFC World Congress, will be held on June 3-4 at the Renaissance Arboretum Hotel in Austin. Details about the event, attendees, exhibitors and agenda for the pre-conference workshops and the conference are now available at http://www.nfcsolutionssummit.com. Early registration discounts are available until April 4.
“NFC can play a significant role in our mobile future by enabling fast, secure and convenient transactions for payments, access, identity, ticketing and marketing,” said Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance. “Now that NFC has become standard in many mobile devices, this Summit will look at the ways we can seize this important opportunity and more quickly put innovative NFC applications into the hands of the millions of consumers who have the technology.”
The two-day Summit will include comprehensive NFC topics covering: the state of the technology; developments in new devices and applications; the status of the growing ecosystem; the promise of payments, marketing, access control and other popular applications; implementation guidance; and North American and international experiences with pilots and implementations.

RFID Opening Doors for Mark of the Beast?

It's been called a "bar code on steroids." Radio Frequency Identification identifies people or things and transmits information through microchips. Is it all about convenience, or are there biblical implications? A banner at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo, or IAAPA as it is known, reads "Prepare to be thrilled!" And if you're into amusement parks, the expo is the place to be. Each year, theme park entertainment grows more exciting and cutting edge, like the Tru-Trackless Ride Systems.

InSync Releases iApp Cobalt Platform for the Internet of Things and RFID Applications

InSync Software, Inc., the leading provider of enterprise IoT and RFID software, today announced the availability of its iApp application platform, Cobalt Release 5. InSync's award-winning iApp platform powers Fortune 500 companies' RFID, GPS and sensor-driven asset tracking and management applications, helping these businesses locate and track mission-critical assets and improve efficiency in operations.

Central to the iApp Cobalt release, is the introduction of two modules - Vista, a revolutionary customizable dashboard and report builder module, and ActionView, an intelligent drag-and-drop form builder that can also subscribe to real world events generated by any RFID or IoT device. The Cobalt release of the iApp platform also features an assortment of added and enhanced functionalities around building enterprise IoT applications and accessing iApp services from any mobile device.

iApp Cobalt now provides native support for building HTML5 applications. Using the HTML5 UI widgets, partners and customers can quickly build cross-browser applications that can be accessed from mobile devices like iPads, iPhones, Android devices, Windows surface and others. As RFID deployments go beyond pilots to the entire enterprise, Cobalt's high availability features are especially suited with its ability to either scale horizontally or vertically based on the application need.

Cobalt's iApp form builder, ActionView, is completely flexible and allows the user to set-up custom fields which are relevant to a customer's specific business process in order to easily manage and make sense of the RFID and sensor information. Each of these fields can be configured to process sensor data, making RFID and sensor information meaningful for the application.

The iApp Vista report builder allows the user to create one or many data sources from any data stored in the iApp repository. After configuring the data sources, users can build single or multi-panel UIs with a just a few clicks, and make these accessible in the iApp application. iApp Vista supports the creation of smart grids, charts, graphs and images, all in a single canvas. Now users can configure an RFID device, collect the data and immediately visualize the data through a set of dashboards and reports.

RFID market to reach $9.2 billion in 2014 and more than triple in next decade

IDTechEx, a market research and consulting firm, has released research suggesting the RFID market – including tags, readers, software and services, for passive and active RFID – will grow from $7.88 billion in 2013 to $9.2 billion in 2014. That figure is up nearly 32% from $6.98 billion in 2012. Most growth is due to active RFID and real-time locating systems (RTLS) systems, the report indicated, followed by interrogators and then tags in terms of total money spent.

Banco Santander deploys NFC services on microSD

Gemalto announces that Banco Santander, through its Santander Universities Global Division, is issuing the Optelio Contactless microSD solution in Spain, Brazil, Chile and Mexico, as part of their University Smart Card program. The application is now live at a number of universities, and participating students, teachers and other personnel are able to use their mobile phones for everyday tasks such as building access, and as an ePurse to make payments in canteens. Banco Santander is also adding the mobile payment option integrated with its own mobile payment wallet, and is planning to use the NFC-capable microSD to deploy a wide range of services such as mobile transportation ticketing.
This innovation builds on the success of Banco Santander's University Smart Card program, which is already used by more than 7.1 million people, in over 270 universities across 12 countries. Gemalto's complete solution encompasses the personalization, issuance and fulfillment services, the microSD card, and the multi-service wallet framework necessary for Banco Santander to create its own mobile app.
Recognized as the most advanced product of its type on the market, Gemalto's Optelio Contactless microSD now incorporates 4GB of memory space for users to store personal data such as photos and videos, and provides seamless support for MIFARE ticketing applications. Gemalto's innovation also highlights a major breakthrough in radio technology, with enhanced RF signal transmission that ensures optimum performance across the widest possible range of phone handsets and operating environments.

San Miguel to roll out RFID toll collection at Skyway, SLEX

San Miguel Corp (SMC) expects users of its electronic payment system at the Skyway and South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) to increase significantly in the next three years with the new radio frequency identification (RFID) toll collection. Under the new electronic toll collection (ETC) system, toll will be deducted through special RFID-embedded stickers attached to a vehicle’s windshield or headlamp, which can be read even at high speeds, allowing for faster and smoother traffic flow at toll gates.

Is Target Dumb for Pursuing Smart Cards?

Taking the position of "better late than never," Target is accelerating its $100 million investment into chip-enabled smart card technology to help rebuild consumer trust after the hacking attack last November and December. In testimony before Congress the other day about the data theft, the retailer admitted it could likely have done more. While it's supposedly asking "hard questions" of itself over how it could have prevented the theft of personal data from 40 million customers, Target's CFO said they've already installed 10,000 chip-enabled payment devices in its stores with a complete rollout expected to be achieved by September, six months ahead of schedule.

Uruguay Will Track Legal Marijuana Via RFID and Genetic Markers

The head of Uruguay’s National Drug Board says the government will track every legal marijuana plant in the country using radio frequency tags, among other rigorous standards planned for the country’s legal marijuana industry. Julio Caldeza says all government-grown plants will also be cloned with genetic markers to allow authorities to identify any plant grown legally. Proponents of the tracking and identification systems hope these measures will help them reduce illegal trafficking and production in the country and keep track of abusers that need help.

NFC at heart of Brazilian bank’s mobile payments plans

Brazilian banking group Bradesco is planning to roll out NFC mobile payments across Brazil by summer 2014, through a partnership with mobile operator Claro and technology provider Giesecke & Devrient. Under the plan, Brazilians will be able to use their smartphones to pay for their shopping. The project will begin in the state of São Paulo and will later be expanded to the rest of the country. G&D is supplying the SIM cards with secure storage for the payment software and the SmartTrust Portigo mobile wallet for smartphones, which will store the sensitive customer information such as debit card numbers and account details. It will also provide the trusted service manage tools to Bradesco and Claro, which will allow them to receive Bradesco account holders’ payment card information onto their devices in an encrypted form via Claro’s mobile network.

'Smart' card maker to expand

A Fort Wayne-based maker of financial and commercial plastic cards plans to add 4,400 square feet and 14 employees to its High Street location. A Greater Fort Wayne Inc. announcement on the $3.3-million CPI Card Group project said CME Build it Right would start construction in April. The additional employees will be hired during the next three years. CPI plans to invest $1.8 million in equipment and convert some of its office space at 613 High St. to production space. That conversion, the reconfiguration of some office space and the addition will cost $1.5 million.