Despite getting ready to give Android a run for its money with Windows Phone Series 7, Microsoft has launched its first app for Google’s Android mobile OS.
 
Microsoft Tag is a free app that utilises your phone’s camera in order to turn it into a mobile barcode reader. Using Tag you’ll be able to take a photo of any barcode and receive information back.

For instance, it will allow you to scan barcoded advertisements in magazines and newspapers, product packaging and posters to get instant access to related websites, videos, reviews, contact information, social network pages or discounts and promotions. You could, as the manager of a band for example, link the groups’ website to barcodes on band posters and CDs, so that when someone snaps a pic of either, they are taken directly to the band's fanpage.
 
According to the BBC, Microsoft released its first app on a rival platform in 2008, which was an iPhone app, entitled Seadragon and this was followed by the release in early 2009 of Tag, again for the iPhone.
 
Tag makes its debut on Android after being released for Windows phones, the iPhone, Blackberry devices and Symbian handsets as well.