RFID Journal Staff asked 10 years ago I would prefer a unit that has some configuration options available. Is such a thing available?
—Name withheld
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I recommend ThingMagic's USB Plus+ RFID Reader, a low-cost platform for developing and deploying interactive read-write applications. The USB Plus+ is controlled and powered by a host PC or a laptop via a USB interface, and is compatible with ThingMagic's application-development tools, permitting the rapid creation of RFID solutions. With a software-adjustable read distance of up to 3 feet (0.91 meter), the device supports a variety of applications and can be used to commission high-memory tags and read small form-factor RFID tags effectively.
Microelectronics Technology, Inc. (MTI) offers the RFID ME USB Dongle, which can read and write to all EPC Gen 2-compliant RFID tags. The device comes with graphical user interface demonstration software and source code, as well as a Low Level Command Set (LLCS) application programming interface (API).
There are several other companies that offer USB readers, but I am unaware of any software that comes with them for configuring the device or developing applications.
IDRO makes a passive UHF USB reader-writer (model IDRO900RW), designed to deliver good performance at a low cost.
Technology Solutions (UK) Ltd. makes a low-profile desktop UHF RFID reader designed to read and write EPC Class 1 Gen 2 (ISO18000-6C) UHF tags. It is powered and communicates via a standard USB connection, so it can be hosted by any PC, and has a built-in circular-polarized antenna for operation in either European (ETSI EN 302 208) or North American (FCC) environments.
Tertium Technology's IceKey UHF is an RFID reader that is used to perform read-write operations on major UHF RFID tags. It has an integrated antenna with a reading capacity of 120 centimeters, depending on the tag used, and connects to any PC or laptop via a USB port.
And GAO RFID offers the USB Enabled UHF Mini RFID Reader-Writer 216008.
—Mark Roberti, Founder and Editor, RFID Journal
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