RFID For Dummies (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Somewhere, separated from you by just a few degrees, is not Kevin Bacon, but an 800-pound gorilla demanding that you adopt radio frequency identification, or..." (more)
Key Phrases: contact memory buttons, interrogation zone, deliverable tracker, Rest of the Story, Speak Bean Counter, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

• Many companies have asked suppliers to begin using RFID (radio frequency identification) tags by 2006
• RFID allows pallets and products to be scanned at a greater distance and with less effort than barcode scanning, offering superior supply-chain management efficiencies
• This unique plain-English resource explains RFID and shows CIOs, warehouse managers, and supply-chain managers how to implement RFID tagging in products and deploy RFID scanning at a warehouse or distribution center
• Covers the business case for RFID, pilot programs, timelines and strategies for site assessments and deployments, testing guidelines, privacy and regulatory issues, and more

From the Back Cover

Discover how RFID can save your business money

See what goes into an RFID set-up, choose your equipment, and test your system

Is the rush to implement RFID causing you sleepless nights? Take heart! As more and more retailers require their suppliers to get on the RFID bandwagon, this book can save the day. Even if you're IT challenged and skipped physics class, you'll discover how RFID works and how to set up and deploy your network — just in time.

Discover how to

• Plan your RFID implementation
• Evaluate and choose system components
• Compare types of RFID tags
• Assess your site
• Set up and test readers
• Administer and maintain your system

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (April 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076457910X
• ISBN-13: 978-0764579103
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #327,113 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #58 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Engineering > Electrical & Electronics > Electromagnetic Theory

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars SHOULDA BEEN TITLED "HIGH-FREQUENCY RFID FOR DUMMIES", April 19, 2005

By	Jeff Jensen "RFID COOLER" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is all the rage now. Unfortunately, most of the hype is for high-frequency RFID, i.e. 915 MHz and above. High-freq RFID systems are incredibly complicated, and are difficult to set up and get into good working condition, mostly because high-freq RFID is HIGHLY susceptible to electromagnetic interference, plus interference from water, liquids, metal, etc. People also need to be familiar with LOW-FREQUENCY RFID, which I'll get to in a moment.

While Wal-Mart and the DoD are leading the push to integrate high-freq RFID into everyday supply-chain systems, many of the systems simply don't work; again, because of the limitations I discussed above.

RFID for Dummies is a decent primer for HIGH-FREQ RFID, not low-freq RFID (125-134 KHz frequencies in the U.S.). In fact, the book only mentions low-freq RFID a couple of times. There's a tried-and-true system for low-freq that's been around for more than 15 years, while this high-freq RFID stuff has been struggling like a lost babe in the jungle.

This book, again, is not for low-freq RFID, which is now used to track and ID animals, humans, medical devices, weapons, sensitive items, automobiles, gas cylinders, trees, etc. The high reliability of low-freq is unquestionable.

More about this book: the physics section is weak, at best. The author obviously wasn't a physics or electrical engineering major in college or grad school. Too bad, because many people out there could use a good lesson in HOW RFID works. Some good diagrams and figures woulda done the trick here. I've talked with dozens of people who are now implementing RFID in their work, and ALL of them commented that they would love to see a simple set of figures and diagrams that illustrate how the technology works.

So, if you're interested in a book about HIGH-FREQUENCY RFID, and you don't need a lesson in the physics of RFID, then I would recommend you read this book at the library.

Unfortunately, there are NO really good general books about RFID out there. You're better off reading white papers found on various RFID web sites.

WARNING: THIS BOOK DOES NOT DISCUSS LOW-FREQUENCY RFID. IT IS ABOUT HIGH-FREQUENCY RFID ONLY.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent primer, May 12, 2008

By	Daniel M. Edwards (Albany, GA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you have ever had to sit through meetings listening to some electrical engineer or other 10 pound brain make you want to gouge out your own eyes to make them shut up, this book is for you. All of the stuff that didn't make any sense in those meetings becomes a little more clear. In all seriousness, if you are not an engineer, I'm a Marine Corps Supply guy, this book lays a great foundation for you to understand what you don't know. This book and the Wiley CompTIA Study Guide helped me not only score an 800 on my RFID+ exam, but actually understand 90% of stuff the folks at the RFID Live! Conference were trying to sell me.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book, April 29, 2007

By	Larkin Moly - See all my reviews

This is a good book on RFID. Lots of useful stuff in there. However, do not use it as yuor first RFID book. The material is quite advance at places.