|
||||||
Microsoft’s Digital Grocery CartRFID Technology Aids High-Tech Grocery Shopping with New MediaCarts
Microsoft is bringing high-tech grocery shopping to a store near you. The computerized MediaCarts include RFID technology and will be rolled out in the U.S. in 2008.
Move over, George Jetson. Grocery shopping 2.0 has arrived and is coming to a food store near you! For the past 4 years, Microsoft has been working with MediaCart Holdings Inc, a Texas-based company, developing special computerized grocery carts mounted with high-tech video consoles. Beginning the second half of 2008, the companies will test the high-tech grocery carts in over 200 ShopRite grocery stores on the East Coast of the United States. MediaCart Specifics
RFID TechnologyRadio-frequency identification technology, RFID, will be included in the new high-tech carts. RFID consists of a small chip, which contains data, and antenna. The technology is somewhat similar to bar codes and magnetic strips often found on credit cards. A unique identifier is embedded, which must be scanned. The RFID technology identifies the location of the cart in the grocery store, and will display short video advertisements and product offers based on the items specific to the location of the shopper. For instance, if a shopper is the ice cream aisle, an ice cream coupon may pop-up on the display. For those concerned with privacy and security issues, no personal information from the loyalty cards will be shared with any advertisers or Microsoft. The new MediaCart pilot program will run for 9 months. Grocery shopping may be a brand new shopping adventure with Microsoft's new computerized grocery carts. For further reading on the RFID technology, read New U.S. Passport Cards in 2008. Sources:MediaCart Press Release, January 14, 2008
The copyright of the article Microsoft’s Digital Grocery Cart in Mobile Technology is owned by Jace Shoemaker-Galloway. Permission to republish Microsoft’s Digital Grocery Cart in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||