Microsoft Tag, whose slogan is "Linking real life with the digital world," is another stab at digital scanners that aim to connect printed materials with online content. The advantage of Microsoft Tag, which first began as a Microsoft Research project and was unveiled at CES 2009, over previous digital scanner attempts is that it doesn't require a special device. It's simply software that you can load on your cell phone; the phone's camera is used for scanning the bar code and the digital content shows up on the phone, provided your phone is online. Microsoft Tag can run on devices from basic Java phones to smartphones, including Windows Mobile devices, BlackBerrys, and iPhones.

Over the past year, the tags have started showing up in magazines, newspapers, yellow pages, and public transportation tickets, though they can also be placed on business cards, directly on products, and even on large billboards. The tags can link to anything on the Web: be that additional information on a product, interactive content, or just a company's website. CNET has a video up that demonstrates exactly what the technology is all about: