The RFID journal [1] has an article about RFID-enabled cell phones [1]. Besides WLAN, Bluetooth and the like I tend to predict that this technology-mix might have a chance in various markets if:
- an accepted standard of the RFID communication protocol is used;
- or otherwise, the RFID reader is flexible enough, to read/write multiple RFID formats;
- enough products have those tags (eq. RFID chips) implemented.
Let\’s consider an example: On a Sunday, where – at least here in Bern – the local stores are closed, I am walking alongside the shopping windows in the city. Oh, Kitchener [2] has some new fancy toys! Unfortunately the price tags are not visible on that certain Uglydoll. I\’ll grab my RFID-enabled mobile phone and simply scan all the products within the reading range. They get displayed by categories in my phone… shoes, t-shirts, toys etc. Among them there is that Uglydoll Ox [3]. Until here, there has no WLAN, no GPRS, not UMTS been used.
What is left to do? Select the product and send the order to the shop. Or maybe I just would like to compare it with an ebay-offer? 😉 Bye, bye privacy.
[1] http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleprint/1020/-1/1/
[2] http://www.kitchener.ch/html/de/shop/index.php?mg=11&ug=16&br=4803
[3] http://uglydolls.com