RFID Platforms/System for implementation

[spambot32]

Hello, im a engineering student and for our senior project we have to find problems and solution when netbooks are being used in a lab environment. one problem was theft, so i designed a security system with RFID being the main feature. i know alot about RFID but this is my first time working with it. i have about 1000 $ in grant money for the project and i need to find a RFID platform/System that can interrogate about 12 passive tags constantly and comes with a SDK or can be programed with C++ VB Java and or some other similar language preferably with a usb port. i like the Parallax RFID reader but since its read write range is in the centimeters it doesn't do me much good. the reader basically need to be able to monitored 12 tag with in a small distance say 3-4 feet or a meter or so and from there the moderator program that we have will keep tabs on whether the netbook is checked out or not. any suggestion would help if you know of any RFID Platform/reader that can cost under 500 it would be greatly appreciated because were playing around with the budget. thank you

[g-ram]

I may have a whole set of links on my other computer for a similar project i was going to do. I may have deleted them though when the project was scrapped because i lost my funding. IIRC, none of the companies that sell them list the prices, you have to set up a sales inquiry and stuff. I should be able to find out tomorrow.

[spambot32]

thank you g-ram any help will be appreciated.