Microsoft Tags Beta: See it. Snap it. Save or share it.
Written on 13th January 2009
9 COMMENTS 
David Petherick, Contributing Editor, United Kingdom
At The Next Web, we keep our antennae tuned, and Microsoft has currently only announced Microsoft Tags Beta in the USA. But as the software and web site are available globally, we thought you’d need to know – now.
This is how Microsoft describes its new service, which has been available since the 7th of January 2009 and was showcased at the CES 2009 show: —
Microsoft Tag instantly connects you to more information and entertainment – without typing long URLs or texting short code. Simply snap the Tag with your mobile phone, and Microsoft Tag takes you there!
The idea is probably familiar to those of you who know about QR Codes, or were at The Next Web Conference in April 2008, when Robert Scoble gave a keynote address wearing a QR Coded T-shirt. (Photo of Robert Scoble by Guido van Nispen). And QR Codes have been around for a number of years – they are heavily used in Japanese newspapers and magazines, for example.
The main differences with Microsoft Tag are as follows: -
- Every scan your phone makes gets tracked by MS servers
- The Microsoft Tags are coloured, as opposed to monochrome for QR Codes
- Tags can be designed with expiry dates to encourage instant use
- Tags are designed to be scanned at scale (for outdoor posters etc)
Microsoft is using its formidable marketing skills to package this attractively for consumers and businesses – and from the promotional material, it’s doing a good job of avoiding the geeky, and keeping things simple and clear. You can download the free Microsoft Tags mobile software for your phone at http://gettag.mobi – and try it out on the tag below to grab the author’s vCard data. Software is currently available for J2ME, Symbian S60, iPhone, Blackberry and of course Windows Mobile phones. This is in fact, only Microsoft’s second iPhone application, after its image viewer SeaDragon.
I expect future developments of this will see more formats become available to allow, for example, pre-scripted SMS contact, and to allow ‘callback’ or text chat interaction. I also would expect this to be used, for example to provide data downloads back to the phone, which can then can be displayed at point of sale to redeem vouchers, or even act as an electronic entrance ticket. Integrate it with Microsoft ID and Passport services, and you might have something very powerful – especially as it can all be harnessed by a device that rarely leaves the side of its owner.
Creating and Managing Tags
In the back-end at the Tags site, creating tags is very simple. You need a Microsoft ID to create tags, and can create a PDF, WMF or XPS file in a variety of sizes. You can make the Tag have an ‘action’ of a URL, Free Text, vCard, or Dialer, and you can also set start and end dates on the tags – useful for competition-style entries. The fact that you can, as the creator of a code, view reports (aside from potential privacy concerns for users of the service) will help you track the return you get on a campaign. It’s easy to manage multiple tags, with icons to show what type of tag you’re selecting, and you can categorise, expire and delete tags readily. [screen shot]
The Next Web acknowledges Steven Livingstone-Pérez for alerting us to Microsoft Tags via twitter earlier today.
The Next Web Blog is closely associated with The Next Web Conference which is held annually in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. At this event speakers from all over the world come together to talk about, and show off, the future of the Web. (More info 
By Steven Livingstone-Perez on Jan 13, 2009
Would love to see them on buses and trains… that way when they close the doors when you are still getting off or go in a different direction from the front of the bus (two things that happened to my family in recent times), you can quickly capture their details on a mobile ;)
Lots of opportunity as you say.
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Steven, thanks for the initial tip, and for your comment.
The most bizarre use I have heard of for physical placing codes like these is a company that is placing QR-Codes on graves, and linking to memorial web sites that they create! I have also seen them inside Nokia phones, and on correspondence from the UK’s government body, DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency).
I used QR codes printed onto stickers as mini-business cards at conferences – they go down very well – in fact, that T-shirt Scoble is wearing in the photo is the one I designed and gave to him the day before his keynote.
Using of such codes in museums, public buildings, in press ads, in flyers, even on till receipts, is something so easy to do, but relatively few marketing and advertising agencies have a clue in this area.
MS Tag (what a great name) will certainly bring the idea to a wider audience – but the issue of data privacy is one MS will have to work hard to convince people on, I think – otherwise they could blow a great opportunity here.
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By David Petherick on Jan 13, 2009
Just an update – am testing the software on my Nokia N95 mobile.
1) It downloaded rapidly (531Kb) but was available only in English, even though my Nokia was set to Spanish language. (My Google Mail app swaps language according to the phone setting ‘on the fly’)
2) It’s giving me the option on first use to report my location when I scan a tag. This can be changed later.
3) It grabs the image very rapidly, even when displayed on a screen and the phone is moved rapidly.
4) Camera seems to reset after every image is saved, but it saved my vCard data.
5) Phone and Mobile fields can’t accept +44, +1 etc to denote international dialling codes when creating the Tags online, so it’s going to need upgraded for international use outside the USA.
6) Has an ‘invite’ option which takes phone to its web browser and invites you to input a friend’s mobile number. Again, US only, no international option at present.
7) Meanwhile, back in my Tags Manager, I can see 5 people have downloaded my vCard today – I can see a number of types of reports for data and ‘categories’ that I can designate when I create my Tags to chart, but see no geographical data as yet.
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By herman on Jan 13, 2009
The guys of shotcode.com has a nicer mobile barcode.
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Shotcode recommend a fairly large 3.5cm image diameter, and also charge for use, so I can’t see the Shotcode model standing up too long against the might of MS if they really decide to push this idea, unless their analytics and reporting is significantly better.
You can get free software to create and print QR Codes from many sources, as it’s effectively Open Source – see http://scanscanscan.com/?page_id=2 for resources.
People need to use codes and mobile users need to start seeing them for adoption to rise – people will be happy to download any software as long as it’s fast, has transparent, trusted, and easy to use. MS solution will appeal to networks as it increases data use – so they’d be likely to start partnering with them in future.
Once a few ads appear that say ’snap this to win’ you’ll find no barrier to adoption – and MS have the clout in marketing terms, and the channels to push their proprietary system.
For now, as someone advertising in this area, I’d use MS Tag and QR alongside each other. But if MS builds in a QR reader to their software (and the mobile software hints at this being the case in future), it’ll be game over.
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By Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten on Jan 13, 2009
So how long is it going to take for Apple to come up with an even better implementation? Now that would be fun… :-)
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By Steven Livingstone-Perez on Jan 13, 2009
I agree and it’s why i never perused this seriously. There is so much work to do irrespective of the technology to get it working.
It *does* work nicely in closed projects where you have a controlled environment and can “impose” the technology on the employees with tech support ensuring everything is set up etc.
In the wider world… where i wanted to take it, it’s VERY hard unless you are one of the handset makers, carries or indeed Microsoft etc.
The opportunities are probably more around applications than the technology (which will tend to zero now that MS are in).
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By drivingsouth on Jan 13, 2009
All this because of starbucks…
Cool trend ‘do :) I can see it exploding, but the big guys better open the standard a bit more (like the CD for instance) rather than keeping it for themselves (while a gazilion of companies try their luck and create different systems)
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By Stewart McKie on May 22, 2009
David – Here at Vizitag.com we prefer See.Snap.Sorted. but we admit that ’sorted’ is rather a Brit ‘term’.
“The opportunities are probably more around applications than the technology (which will tend to zero now that MS are in).”
I couldn’t have put it better myself. Tag formats and readers are already commodities.
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