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Sun unveils RFID offerings, including Java-based package

As RFID technology gathers steam, Sun Microsystems has announced new offerings in the market, including an entry-level Java product.

The Sun Java System RFID Tag and Ship package that enables customers to address specific RFID compliance requests, such as those from retailers, including Wal-Mart, Target and Albertsons, as well as from the U.S. Department of Defense and other organizations.

"Sun realizes that our customers are looking at RFID technology in a variety of ways and we are leveraging our years of experience with RFID and network computing to provide programs and solutions to address their unique implementation needs," Vijay Sarathy, Sun’s director of RFID marketing and product strategy, said in a statement released by the company.

Sun also announced the introduction of its RFID Reference Architecture, designed to help customers do more with RFID and integrate the technology with back-end enterprise systems, the company said.

The company also announced plans to create RFID Industry Solution Architectures (ISAs) to meet the unique RFID requirements of vertical markets, including government, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and retail.

"By using these solutions as a foundation for RFID deployment, customers can decrease their time to deployment and see increased levels of efficiencies and cost savings," Sarathy said.

The RFID Tag and Ship Solution contains five components: a Sun W2100z workstation and monitor, Sun’s Java System RFID Software, an RFID printer from Printronix, Inc., an RFID reader and barcode reader, Sun said in its statement.

The announcement comes as two research firms see increased IT investment in RFID technology this year. ABI Research of Oyster Bay, N.Y., sees companies increasing their RFID budgets three to five times this year over last. Meanwhile, IDC says IT services firms foresee increasing demand for RFID-related services through 2008.