July/August 2005

JUL/AUG 2005

Features

• FEATURE
• Can RFID Improve Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance?
  U.S. companies that deploy RFID to meet retailer mandates or improve their own internal operations could reap an unexpected benefit: stronger compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
• COVER STORY
• The Cashless Reality
  RFID payment systems might not spell the end of notes and coins, but they could transform consumers' spending habits and open new opportunities for companies.
• VERTICAL FOCUS
• Around the World in Real Time
  Logistics providers are a key link between manufacturers and stores. RFID could help them speed deliveries, improve the flow of information and secure the supply chain.
• LAB TEST REPORT
• Not All RFID Tags Are Alike
  Even tags of the same make and model vary significantly in their performance, as this excerpt from the RFID Alliance Lab's report, UHF EPC Tag Performance Evaluation, reveals.

Departments

• Out in Front
• RFID No Cure for Slumping Toy Sales
  Naoru-kun’s sales have proven as unhealthy as the doll itself.
• Out in Front
• 3-D RFID Tags for Security
  DuPont Authentication Systems has developed 3-D imaging technology that can be used on RFID labels to authenticate products.
• Out in Front
• You Say Rif-id, I Say. . .
  Like the proverbial tomato, RFID deserves a definitive pronunciation.
• Perspective
• The IP Cloud on the Horizon
  Intellectual property remains a concern among end users, but some vendors are formulating strategies for dealing with it.
• Perspective
• Security on the Back Burner
  Typically, our Perspective section provides insights on issues making news—or noise—in the RFID market. But it's also important to provide an understanding of issues being ignored. Right now, the big issue not making big news is supply chain security.
• Editor's Note
• Yes, RFID Does Pay
  The use of RFID payment systems falls somewhere between tomorrow's promise and today's reality.

Columns

• EPCglobal Update
• Silent But Steady Progress
  EPCglobal US brings together disparate groups to hammer out RFID standards.
• Ashton's View
• Where's the ROI?
  Companies can realize a return on their RFID investment, if they know where to look.
• Stay Tuned
• A 2-Cent RFID Tag?
  Printable electronics, not silicon, may pave the way to a truly low-cost tag.