Sun last week announced a Java-based product designed to make it easy for companies to switch from tagging their products with traditional bar codes to radio frequency identification technology.
Sun last week announced a Java-based product designed to make it easy for companies to switch from tagging their products with traditional bar codes to radio frequency identification technology.
Sun, which announced its Java RFID software in July, unveiled its Sun Java System RFID Tag and Ship product, an entry-level RFID product targeted at suppliers that comply with RFID mandates from retailers including Wal-Mart, Target and the U.S. Department of Defense.
RFID Tag and Ship lets companies quickly convert bar code tags to RFID tags, says Vijay Sarathy, director of RFID product marketing and strategy at Sun. The product lets companies comply with RFID mandates without major investments in new RFID systems. Sun will announce the price of Tag and Ship shortly, and the product will be available this quarter.
RFID Tag and Ship also includes a Sun W2100z workstation and monitor, the Sun Java System RFID Software, a Printronix RFID printer, an RFID reader and a bar-code reader. RFID Tag and Ship includes on-site hardware and software configuration and user training.
Sun also announced a new Sun RFID Reference Architecture and plans to create RFID Industry Solution Architectures (ISA) specifically designed for industries including government, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and retail. Sun and SeeBeyond Technology outlined plans for a forthcoming RFID ISA for Retail, which will offer an integrated RFID offering designed specifically for retailers.
Sun’s RFID Reference Architecture is a methodology designed to help companies identify, design and build RFID systems using Sun technology and third-party applications. The Sun RFID Reference Architecture is based on RFID best practices and methodologies, addressing performance and scalability for tracking RFID product movement, according to Sun. Using the architecture, customers can expect to reduce their overall implementation costs, the company says.
Sun has promoted using Java on RFID readers as a standard that can be used on various brands of readers, Sarathy says. Java software lets companies “plug and play” RFID readers into any RFID system, he says.
Gross is a correspondent with the IDG News Service.
