RFID for Dummies

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.

RFID is not "just tags", it is so much more and Patrick Sweeney in his book "RFID for Dummies" covers all aspects of RFID by walking the reader through six easy to understand sequential sections explaining what RFID is, what it does, how it works, and addresses, in addition, issues that the reader needs to understand to make an RFID implementation successful. Most "Dummy" books are written, and read, as an introduction or a Cliff Notes way of learning about the subject. "RFID for Dummies" is that and much more, it is an introduction for the beginner and a true technical reference for the expert. Whether you are just curious, scared, or worried at the prospect of getting involved with RFID as a new technology "RFID for Dummies" is the first and only reference you need. Most white papers or books I have found were "cut and paste" versions of previous material and never addressed the actual issues of implementing RFID except from a vendor perspective. "RFID for Dummies" does not include vendor marketing "fluff" which allows Patrick to openly discuss various overall benefits, technical aspects, worldwide standards, and the many vendor products in the market today. "RFID for Dummies" content is easy to find, access, read, and there are no technical terms or antenna wave propagation formulas that require the reader to have an EE degree. Patrick also describes and discusses, in detail, the more important, non technical, issues such as financial and business strategies that are necessary to understand when implementing RFID solutions as RFID is not "just tags". The information in "RFID for Dummies" is valid not just for today, but as RFID evolves, the information presented by Patrick can be used time and time again. "RFID for Dummies" is clearly the first and only book on RFID, that I have found, that takes the confusion out of RFID. If you are considering RFID from a design, implementation, management perspective, or whatever your situation is, "RFID for Dummies" is the book, the only book you need to have.

It's easy to get caught up in the hype surrounding the ever-evolving world of RFID. There is a lot of misinformation and empty promises about what RFID can and can't do, resulting in much confusion and head-scratching. RFID for Dummies cuts through all the hype with a firm foundation of physics. Patrick Sweeney lays down the basics of RFID and the fundamentals of implementing a successful RFID pilot with a dash of wit thrown in for good measure. As a graduate student researching RFID, I found this book to be both an excellent addition to anyone's RFID library as well as a great first-read for those just getting their feet wet. It's bound to become the "go-to" book for those seeking insight into the realm of RFID. Oh, and keep that Cheat Sheet handy, it's a great aid when wading through RFID white papers.

I've heard of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, but I really haven't paid much attention to it. I figured that RFID For Dummies by Patrick J. Sweeney II (Wiley) would be a good way to get up to speed. This is definitely a great "first read" on the subject. Chapter List: Part 1 - Now That You Can Spell RFID, Here's The Rest Of The Story: Taking The Mystery Out Of RFID; Auto-ID Technologies: Why RFID Is King Of The Hill; Making Basic Decisions About Your RFID System Part 2 - Ride The Electromagnetic Wave: The Physics Of RFID: What Makes Up An RFID Network; Understanding How Technology Becomes A Working System; Seeing Different RFID Systems At Work Part 3 - Fitting An RFID Application Into Your World: Seeing The Invisible - The Site Assessment; Testing One, Two, Three - Developing Your Own Lab; Tag, You're It - Test For Best Tag Design And Placement; Hooked On Phonics - Reader Testing, Selection, And Installation; Middle Where? - It's Not Just About The Readers Part 4 - Raising The Beams For Your Network: From Pilot To Admiral - Deploying RFID Successfully; Getting Set To Administer And Maintain Your System; Ping-Pong, The Tags Are Gone - How To Monitor Your RFID System Part 5 - How To Speak Bean Counter: Making The Business Case; Fitting RFID Into Strategic Plans; What To Look For When Considering Outsourcing Part 6 - The Part Of Tens: Ten (Or So) Equipment Vendors; Ten Web Sites For Information On RFID; Ten Tips From The Experts; Ten (Or So) RFID Standards And Protocols Appendix: Glossary of Electrical, Magnetic, And Other Scientific Terms; Index I've always maintained that Dummies titles can be a great "first read" on a subject if you don't even know what you don't know. Even though the material may not go into great depth, at least you'll have the mental framework in which to place future learning. RFID For Dummies does that and a lot more. The author is a CEO of an RFID company, so he definitely knows the technology from the business end. He also knows it extremely well from the technical and scientific end. Not only will this book give you the basics on what RFID is and how it works, but it will also go into fine detail about how best to run an RFID project. This isn't just a lot of fluffy, humorous theory in around 400 pages. Sweeney has the battle scars from these projects, and you could conceivably use this book as an overall guide to start moving your company into RFID technology without fearing that you've bet your business on a Dummies title. Although I don't plan on being involved in any RFID projects to the best of my knowledge, I now have a much better understanding of the technology and its limitations. I can also discern the difference between reality and the hype that you often hear decrying the fact that RFID tags will track our every step. If this subject is of any interest to you, RFID For Dummies is a highly recommended read.

If you're a supplier (or want to be) to the folk who wear the stylish blue smocks with a happy face and a Wal-Mart badge (or to a whole bunch of other places like the DoD, Target, Albertsons, Best Buy, Tesco, etc.) chances are you have (or will soon get) some kind of drop dead date after which whatever you supply will have an RFID device in it. If this is a new set of initials to you, you may well want to start with this book to see what you have to do now. It starts out with a "cheat sheet" that gives you a dozen or so web sites that have everything from vendor profiles (you will have to buy some equipment), to the standards and specifications. After that you get a plain English introduction to RFID. It's not everything you need to know, but it's enough that combined with the instructions for the specific equipment you purchase and the buidelines from your customer you'll be able to meet the customer demands. Don't worry, it's a lot easier than it sounds, you'll make it.