Touchatag
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Touchatag (previously TikiTag[1]) was an RFID service for consumers, application developers and operators/enterprises created by Alcatel-Lucent. Consumers could use RFID tags to trigger what touchatag called Applications, which could include opening a webpage, sending a text message, shutting down the computer, or running a custom application created through the software's API, via the application developer network. Touchatag applications were also compatible with NFC enabled phones like the Nokia 6212.[2][3] TikiTag was launched as an open beta on October 1, 2008.[4][5] And it was rebranded to touchatag on February 15, 2009.[6] Touchatag also sold RFID hardware, like a starter package with 1 USB RFID reader and 10 RFID tags (stickers), for which the client software was compatible with Windows XP and Vista, along with Mac OS X 10.4 and up.[7] Touchatag was carried by Amazon.com, ThinkGeek, Firebox.com and getDigital.de [8] along with Touchatag's own Online Store.[9] Touchatag also marketed their products' underlying technology for enterprise and operator solutions. Touchatag announced an agreement with Belgacom PingPing on jointly developing the contactless market and announced a commercial pilot with Accor Services.[10] On June 27, 2012, the Touchatag team has announced the shutdown of the project.[11] inviting users to use IOTOPE "a similar open source Internet Of Things service" which itself has no apparent activity since November 2012.
Service
[edit]Touchatag's core offering was the touchatag service, based on the "application correlation service" and allowed tag, reader and application management. For consumers, the web interface allowed to link RFID tags (and 2D barcode tags, more precisely QR Code) to applications. Application developers could use the correlation API to use the ACS functionalities to create contactless applications.[12] For businesses, this ACS was extended with an RFID/NFC tag and reader catalogue, and applications like loyalty, interactive advertising and couponing.[13]
Hardware
[edit]The reader provided was an ACR122U Tag Reader, from Advanced Card Systems.[14] The tags shipped with the reader were MiFare Ultralight tags.[14]
Software support
[edit]Official clients
[edit]Touchatag hardware was supported by its makers on Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X platforms, and required registration on the website to work. An unsupported application was also available for Linux platforms.[15] Like the Mac OS X application, the Linux application used PCSC-Lite for hardware access.
Unofficial clients
[edit]- TagEventor (no apparent activity since 2011) is an open-source client from the Educational Facts Archived 2022-01-23 at the Wayback Machine association that works on Linux platforms, and does not use the web service from touchatag. It uses the PCSC-Lite daemon and can be run in foreground or daemon mode to make tag events available to user-space applications.
Programming libraries
[edit]- touchatag-processing is a Processing library from Augusto Esteves Archived 2014-04-24 at the Wayback Machine that allows users to connect and read from multiple touchatag readers on the Windows platform. This library works with simply the reader's drivers, so there's no need to install any official or unofficial clients.
See also
[edit]- RFID
- NFC
- contactless payment
- contactless smart card
- Internet of Things
- Future Technology of the world[permanent dead link]
References
[edit]Many dead links since Touchatag ended its services
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". touchatag. Archived from the original on 2009-02-21. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". touchatag. Archived from the original on 2009-02-21. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- ^ "DEMO: Meet Alcatel-Lucent's Services Play". Gigaom.com. 2008-09-08. Archived from the original on 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- ^ "About". touchatag. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- ^ "Tikitag promises to bring RFID tags to everything". Engadget. 8 September 2008. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- ^ "Tikitag renamed Touchatag, adds QR codes to repertoire". Engadget. 16 February 2009. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". touchatag. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- ^ "getDigital". getDigital. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
- ^ "touchatag". touchatag. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- ^ "Welcome to the business site | Touchatag Business". Touchatag.com. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- ^ http://www.touchatag.com Archived 2009-02-26 at the Library of Congress Web Archives
- ^ "Main page | touchatag". Archived from the original on 2012-09-14. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
- ^ "Welcome to the business site | Touchatag Business". Business.touchatag.com. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- ^ a b "SupportedReadersAndTags - tageventor - Project Hosting on Google Code". 2009-10-24. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- ^ http://groups.google.com/group/touchatag/web/linux-client-setup [dead link]
External links
[edit]- Touchatag vendor website
- The Internet Of Things
- The Internet Of Things Events
- Touchatag developer forum
- Software Streets
- Future Technology of the world[permanent dead link]
News Articles
[edit]- Review: Touchatag RFID System
- Consumer Electronics 2.0: MIT's Henry Holtzman on The Internet of Things
- Alcatel-Lucent outlines carriers’ role in contactless future
- Touchatag's aim: RFID apps development made easier
- AlcaLu Gets Interesting Archived 2012-03-20 at the Wayback Machine
- Alcatel-Lucent démocratise l’utilisation des puces RFID auprès du grand public.
- Touchatag Adds Business Apps
- Tikitag renamed Touchatag, adds QR codes to repertoire
- Touchatag from Alcatel Lucent stood out.
- Geeky Toys That Will Make You a Christmas Hero (Wired.com)
- Tikitag promises to bring RFID tags to everything (Engadget)
- DEMO: Meet Alcatel-Lucent’s Services Play (Gigaom) Archived 2008-12-01 at the Wayback Machine
- Tikitag RFID Tagging System Makes an Internet Out of Your Stuff (Gizmodo)