Microsoft releases its Tag application for Android, still doesn't do QR codes

Microsoft Tag

Yes, yes, Microsoft has released its Microsoft Tag app -- which has been around for a while on Windows Mobile -- for Android. A little background: Microsoft Tag codes are a lot like those black-and-white QR codes you often see on this site. But the MS Tags can hold more information and, let's face it, they just look cooler.

But here's the continuing problem we have: It's yet another standard that has to be adopted. And right now, they're not compatible. Microsoft Tag Reader doesn't scan QR codes, and something like Barcode Scanner doesn't scan Microsoft Tags. Hopefully that will change, because it's a huge hurdle in Microsoft's quest to get its standard adopted. (And if there is an app out there that does both, let us know, huh?

Go ahead, download Microsoft Tag (it kept crashing on my Nexus One, by the way), and give it a shot with the code you see here. Now try it with Barcode Scanner.

Now remember that it's been this way for a long, long time, so we'll get a little more enthusiastic when things start playing nicely together. [via MSDN]

Phil Nickinson