Thanks to Mark Van Duinen for this one!

Samsung have developed a small (1/4 inch square) RFID reader chip; looks like they'll be trying to embed these in phones, etc.

This could allow consumer devices - especially mobile ones - to pick up data from RFID chips on products, signage, transit, etc.

From InfoWorld's notice on the same subject:

Some RFID tags on food or medicine products might give information on ingredients or dosages, while RFID tags at bus stops can offer schedules or tell when the next bus will arrive.

According to Cellular News,

the global demand for mobile RFID is expected to grow from $26.9 billion in 2007 to $701 billion by 2010, for a compound annual growth of 196 percent.

Here's hoping they don't repeat the mistakes of the CueCat - sending data about what you're scanning back to the mothership. The furor over that, especially among early adopters, pretty much sank the product.
PocketLint article

Marketers beware - RFID can provoke powerful emotions.

Some bright bulb at this UK school (the Dickensian-sounding "Hungerhill" - you can't make this stuff up) has decided that tracking pupils like household pets is a good idea:

Under the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) surveillance system the Hungerhill pupils have a memory microchip discreetly embedded onto their school badge which produces a radio signal. It means the pupils can be identified the moment that they step into a classroom. Its inventor, Trevor Darnborough, says the technology has many advantages including; offering accurate and speedy registration of pupils, ensuring child security, providing visual confirmation of attendance to help cover teachers and easy data input for the school's behavioural and reporting system.

Link
This opposition group, while mostly focused on fingerprinting, has plenty to say about the tagging exercise as well.

But the system, which is believed to be the first of its kind in the country, has been slammed by civil liberty campaigners who believe radio surveillance should only be used on criminals and not on schoolchildren.
David Clouter, a parent who founded the "Leave them kids alone" organisation to oppose the fingerprinting of children in school, said: "To put this in a school badge is complete and utter surveillance of the children. Tagging is what we do to criminals we let out of prison early. With pupils being fingerprinted and now this it seems we are treating children in a way that we have traditionally treated criminals. It's the first time I've ever heard of this happening and I think it's appalling. I'm not sure how it will support personalised learning to track a pupil. You need to know the pupils individually and develop a relationship with them to find out what their needs really are rather than simply chipping them."

I dunno - when I was in school, this would have been a great way to cut class: just stash your chipped blazer in your locker, and it looks like you've been in the building all day.