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Cameraphones as barcode readers |
axxxr
Joined: Mar 21, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Londinium
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There’s a new software app for smartphones running on the Symbian
operating system that lets you use the phones built-in camera (assuming it has one) as a barcode reader. It doesn’t work with regular barcodes (there are already a few programs like Scanbuy that claim to do that), but it does let anyone embed a URL into a special barcodes called semacodes. We can see why something similar failed with the CueCat that came out a few years ago, since it was only for PCs, but with most cellphones actually typing out a URL is a hassle and anything that saves people some time and trouble is good.
http://semacode.org/ |
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axxxr
Joined: Mar 21, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Londinium
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A Tokyo English school goes high tech, using the latest QR barcodes on promotional T-shirts. QR barcodes enable modern cell phones to read the barcode, and jump directly to a mobile website.
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govigov
Joined: Jul 30, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Back home - Cochin
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WoW thats cool... a nice way.. but only mobiles can read it not normal people... |
Residentevil
Joined: Feb 29, 2004
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From: Raccoon City, USA
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That technology is five years old. Digimarc started it and called it Media Bridge. You could hold an ad to a digital cam and would be taken to the related website. A new version for phones is in the talks. See more here. http://www.forbes.com/technology/2004/09/13/cx_ld_0913demo.html
Tough times don't last, tough people do!
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axxxr
Joined: Mar 21, 2003
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From: Londinium
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Now so popular in Japan that they're showing up on t-shirts and in blog entries, barcodes for cameraphones are finally reaching maturity in the West, reports Eric Lin for TheFeature.com.
"Neomedia was the first company to announce it would launch a barcode-reading price comparison application for cameraphones over a year ago.
This week Scanbuy, which joined the barcode race shortly after Neomedia, has launched a beta application for a number of smartphones, beating Neomedia to market.
Symbian and Treo smartphone users can download and install an application which will allow them to take a picture of a barcode on many books and products and return a price comparison from Price Grabber or Amazon."
http://www.scanzoom.com/consumerapp/
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*Jojo*
Joined: Oct 15, 2003
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@axxxr - Can it read 'barcodes' on tag prices that can be seen in the supermarkets and department stores? Thanks!
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axxxr
Joined: Mar 21, 2003
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From: Londinium
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Quote:
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On 2004-10-12 15:23:53, JN wrote:
@axxxr - Can it read 'barcodes' on tag prices that can be seen in the supermarkets and department stores? Thanks!
In Memoriam: Christopher Reeve (1952-2004)
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No im afraid it can't read normal retail barcodes as those can only be read by lazer scanners...this barcode reader uses the phones camera lens.
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*Jojo*
Joined: Oct 15, 2003
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@axxxr - Oh yeah . . . 'laser' scanners ! Thanks!
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axxxr
Joined: Mar 21, 2003
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From: Londinium
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Japanese company Dainippon Printing is trying out a model for magazine advertising that’s transplanted straight from the web. They’re placing product ads in magazines that include QR codes containing a URL; scanning one with your cameraphone will send you to the product site. The advantages? Not much for the poor user, apart from not having to thumb in a URL, but for advertisers it means being able to keep track of clickthrough and completion rates for a specific ad, plus the fact that they only pay out if an ad click results in a sale. Old Media, this is New Media. Shake hands.
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RZ
Joined: Nov 01, 2004
Posts: 1
From: New York
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No im afraid it can read normal retail barcodes and not only be read by lazer scanners. Scanzoom reads regular UPC Barcodes that you see on every product.
http://www.scanzoom.com
http://www.scanbuy.com |
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Posted: 2004-05-05 16:38
