Tuesday, October 31, 2006

The Internet Of Things...The Best Is Yet To Come

The Age has a great story about the "Internet of Things", or I like to call it Physical World Connection. It has been referred to as "Phase 2" of the Internet also.

Phase 2 will be infinitely larger than Phase 1 and some of these companies will make it possible.

This "internet of things" was the Supranet, where the physical world and the networked world would merge into one, and the internet would permeate our daily lives.

It is starting to happen. Already there are more devices, mobile phones mostly, attached to the internet than there are computers. And, increasingly, "things" are being connected.

As American futurist Roy Amara said, "We tend to overestimate the effect of a technology in the short run and underestimate the effect in the long run." Things take longer to happen than we expect, but when they do happen it's in a bigger way than we thought possible.

I usually say, the longer it takes for a new technology to get adopted, the bigger impact it usually has.

It is not fully appreciated just how big an effect bar codes have had on the retail industry in the past 20 years. RFID will do even more.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Microsoft's Windows Live Barcode Disrupts PWC Space

Microsoft Live Barcode
This is probably one of the biggest, if not THE biggest, news stories for the physical world connection industry.

Companies in the physical world connection space should take this launch seriously.
Microsoft is saying, "we want to be the key player in the 2d code scanning space".

It is my opinion, that Google must introduce a 2d code scanning application and 2d creation application quickly to keep their lead.

2d codes will be more valuable than keywords in the physical world.


From MS Tech Today Windows Live Barcode launches

Windows Live Barcode is a set of services that transfer information between various media (PCs, billboards, magazines etc.) and handsets via Quick Response Code (QR Code), a two-dimensional barcode.

Install decoder software on handsets and capture QR Code via a built-in camera.

The QR Code is a two-dimensional barcode. It contains a considerably greater volume of information in both vertical and horizontal directions than typical barcode in one dimension

It provides a new method for people to exchange information and enjoy various online services on handsets. Windows Live Barcode aims to enhance handset utility and provide you with more convenience and flexibility.”


Find it time consuming to input long phrases on a handset's tiny keyboard? Want to make full use of your handset? Try Windows Live Barcode. Windows Live Barcode is a new way to avoid repetitive input, store more information, and enjoy better handset services within seconds

Take the tour

How are companies that are relying on 2d code scanning affected?



p.s. There's a special message in that 2d code I created for the people who should take Microsoft's announcement seriously.

GMedia Offers Mobile Bar Code Scanning In China

Add GMedia to the physical world connection list .

EMI has partnered with mobile technology company Gmedia to offer a bar code-supported mobile blog for EMI singer Pan Meichen, reports Ccidnet. Cassette tapes, CDs and posters of Pan's new album Zui Leng De Dong Tian will include a special barcode that, when scanned into handsets, will take users directly to Pan's mobile blog

Gmedia was established in 2004 focusing on mobile barcode powered cross media services. As the first mover and leader in mobile 2D barcode in China, Gmedia has signed up strategic cooperation with China Mobile in mobile barcode platform and services.

Gmedia establishes nation wide sales channel for 2D barcode while China Mobile enables the decoder software installed in the mobile phone.

Holding 6 pending patents in mobile barcode technologies, Gmedia pioneers the cross media marketing innovations which enable the barcode visitor tracking so that the ad effect can be measured and personalized marketing can be realized.

Their clients include brands, advertisers and SMEs who use the 2D barcode in their print ad, brochure, posters, packaging, business card, etc to get the customer interaction through mobile phone.

Client list

Movile And Hypertag Offer BlueTooth For Toyota

Bluetooth marketing in Brazil

Despite the concerns regarding spamming and opt-in details, Brazilians are embracing bluetooth as an interesting option for a media channel. There's an increasing interest towards this technology as a media channel and only in this last month three actions were delivered in the city of Sao Paulo.

The biggest until now was delivered by Movile and Hypertag at the Sao Paulo Motor Show.

Movile , a Brazilian mobile marketing agency, in partnership with Hypertag, has set up a campaign using 10 devices for content delivery through both bluetooth and infrared - six of these were wearable devices.

The devices sent images containing a call to people to know Toyota's cars at the stand.

Three main factors are pushing forth the interest in bluetooth marketing in Brazil: new legislation forbidding any external advertising will be enforced beginning 2007. Everyone turned its eyes to internet and mobile; the noisy competition to grasp the user's attention; the low price per eyeball, comparing to other less effective media.

The concerns about spamming are usually solved with the first opt-in, which can be set as default on the phone, and as long as you won't get your message delivered over and over again, it's all fine.

Will Google Link Keywords To Specific Websites?

These bench ads are along a main strip in town, and I think I see what is coming next for Google and advertising.

An advertiser is now using Google as the default search engine of choice to drive traffic to their site. Telling people to "GOOGLE BENCHADS" they must have to pay a pretty premium for the word "BENCHADS".

Pontiac has been doing this for a while, but they have the finances to "buy" the word Pontiac and make sure their site is listed at the top of the results.

That makes me wonder, what if Google offered the ability to connect to SPECIFIC site when you typed in BENCHADS? Would Google be able to charge a premium for that service?

This not only search, but it can be a direct connection.

Is there a business in selling keywords that directly link a user to a specific site?

Would advertisers pay a premium for the ability to link to one specific page? If you bought a keyword, do you want to share the search results with competitor, or would you like your advertising to lead to traffic to your site only.

Could Google offer a "LINK" option? When a specific keyword was either entered and the "LINK" (News, Image, Link etc) option was chosen, the user would be taken to a specific site. But if you didn't want to link directly with a specific site, you still could use Google's search function. It's the best because it offers both.

If the keyword isn't registered with Google, the normal search results would appear and Google could offer to "sell" that keyword for the linking function.

Would a Google Link act as a "keyword browser"?

I already discussed how Google starts selling mobile keywords for their SMS application.

Stats show Google is the search engine of choice and because Google is already "on" your mobile phone, if they added a "LINK" function, this could be a more targeted efficient form of Internet advertising.

Bar Code Reading Mouse

From Ubergizmo Bar code reading mouse

Elecom to develop the new Bar-Code Reading Mouse. This neat little peripheral is capable of reading both monochrone and 2D color barcodes (also known as QR barcodes)

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Cell Phones As Bar Code Scanners

From Entrepreneur.com Cell phones as bar code scanners

Today's handheld interactive devices offer another promotional opportunity--one that Japanese businesses are already profiting from.

Using bar code scanners added to camera phones and PDAs, customers can scan bar codes in-store and conduct price checks, or take a photo of a bar code with their web-enabled mobile device, then e-mail the code in to get more information or a special offer.

Mobile devices in the U.S. are already equipped with these capabilities and might even include bar code scanners, but U.S. consumers haven't jumped on the scanning bandwagon--yet.

Companies like NextCode and PaperClip assign designations to pre-existing bar codes so web-enabled mobile devices connect that code with a particular website, eliminating time-consuming texting on tiny keyboards

Monday, October 23, 2006

Physical World Hyperlink Patent War Ahead?

I think it is given that 2d codes will be adopted before 1d (barcodes) as the physical world hyperlink of choice, so I have started to notice an interesting licensing trend take place.

I wonder if this will affect the physical world connection companies that use 2d codes for camera phone scanning.

Veritec , and their wholly owned subsidiary VCode Holdings Inc, has been announcing licensing agreements in the past couple weeks with some pretty large companies. They include Texas Instruments, Allstate Insurance and Dell.

Maybe that's why they came out of bankruptcy

Veritec Inc. is the pioneer and patent holder of two-dimensional (2D) matrix coding technology. The company is engaged in developing, marketing, and selling encoding (writing) and decoding (reading) software and system products that utilize its patented technology. The Veritec codes allow end-users to produce and interpret secure coded data for identification, and verification purposes.

Veritec developed a 2D matrix symbology, during the late 80's, which was endorsed by NASA as the code of choice for their vendors. The 2-D code symbol is a small, checkerboard-like matrix and has the highest data capacity and density.

Data Matrix, while a public domain code, has a patent troll hanging around it that creates a lot of headaches for companies that use it for codes. This company below was awarded some patents around the same time as Acuity, who invented data matrix.

Thus there is a bunch of litigation around the code and major companies are being forced to license the code format creating a bunch of problems.

Data Matrix is the format used by a number of the physical world connection companies.

Tag Mobile Services Follow Up

I discussed this physical world connection application recently , but we are getting more details about the campaign.

Who's platform is being used? I can tell you that this company received a tremendous about of press for their ability to scan a barcode for price comparison in the States. They are on the list

From INQ7.net HIP sets up corporate blog network

Gabot said HIP recently introduced a technology called tag mobile service (TMS), which is a modified type of bar code that will be printed on their magazines. This modified barcode allows people armed with phone cameras to scan these printed codes and link to content found on a mobile website called WAP (wireless access protocol) or the Internet

Adel Gabot, group editor at HIP, said the "print as a medium" is in transition. Thus HIP is working on integrating their specialized magazines with an online counterpart. "Both mediums will feed on each other," he added.

The key sentence.

"We think TMS will be the killer application for 3G (third generation mobile services)," he added.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Will NFC Leapfrog 2D Codes For Mobile Payment?

Do you know what this is?

It looks like it could be the first type of physical world hyperlink to be introduced by major brands in the States.

Citi, MasterCard, and Cingular welcome you to the New York City Mobile Trial. Over a period of 3 to 6 months they will be testing a convenient and secure way to pay and view/download content using a mobile phone.

Just like making a payment, to download content from a smart media poster simply tap your trial mobile phone on the download symbol located on the poster.

Not only does this provide a method to deliver content, but it also includes an mobile-commerce platform too.

How does it work?

Contactless payment cards, tags, and phones all feature an embedded chip and antennae. After you tap your PayPass device on the reader at checkout, the card/tag/phone securely transmits payment details wirelessly.

Account details are communicated directly to the special reader and are then processed through the highly trusted MasterCard acceptance network in the normal manner. Moments after you tap the reader with your card/tag/phone, you will receive payment confirmation and are on your way.

What interests me are 2 key technology providers, VivoTech and Nokia. VivoTech is one of the largest POS terminal players and Nokia is the largest mobile phone manufacturer.

Are we seeing the beginning of the mobile commerce platform?




Up until now, contactless payments faced an insurmountable obstacle to growth - billions in cost to replace or upgrade the installed base of 30 million merchant POS terminals.

Look at the physical world connection angle, I wonder.

What impact will this have on companies that sell retrofits for POS terminals to read 2d codes?

Won't all wireless carriers be forced to adopt this technology?

Movie theaters now just scan your credit card to confirm your ticket, now you can just scan your phone? Instead of issuing you a unique 2d code, your credit card number becomes the identifier.

Will this technology leapfrog scanning 2d codes for mobile payments? How does this affect the mobile coupon and mobile ticketing industry.

Do you know the next application Nokia offers after this?

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Swiftpass Launches Universal Mobile Ticket And Coupon Scanner

A New device could end all queues - Today's launch of a wireless, WiFi and Bluetooth handheld scanning device could radically decrease and even eradicate queuing outside entertainment and sport venues.

Launched by Swiftpass , the global supplier of mobile ticketing technologies, the handheld device has been designed to scan mobile tickets and coupons directly from mobile phone screens. It will be used in entertainment, sport and events where mobile ticketing is currently being adopted.

The scanner gives ticket office staff the ability to redeem mobile and bar-coded paper tickets in a fraction of the time, easing the burden front-of-house and reducing human error. It offers the ability to change scanning location and ticket redemption points and can help to dramatically reduce queuing times for popular events.

The large graphic display and wireless connectivity of the scanner allows for real-time validation and immediate feedback of information to operators upon scanning mobile or other ticket types. There is no need for the user to spend time aligning the scanner and barcode for it to be read, the ticket is captured directly from the mobile screen on contact with the scanner.

Tag Mobile Service Launched In Philippines


What is not said in this release, is that the Philippines has the highest data rate usage of mobile phone users. Scan a barcode and connect to the Internet.

This platform for this service is being offered by a US physical world connection company. I spoke to them at length about this campaign. It is starting with 10 magazines, 1 national newspaper and a host of other outlets.

From Mobile Philippines, one of the largest mobile magazines in the country, Mobile This!

This barcode is part of a service known worldwide as TMS or Tag Mobile Service. And now, it is here in the Philippines, making its debut in Mobile Pilipinas 2006, the country’s biggest wireless tech expo.

In one sentence, TMS is a convenient way to download any form of multimedia into your mobile by turning your phone’s camera into a barcode scanner.

Welcome to the next generation of content distribution in the Philippines! In the “old days” we used to grab content (quotes, movie schedules, breaking news, ringtones, movie clips) by texting a few characters to an odd number combination (text “imhandsome” to 5555).

This is well and good, but it is time to take advantage of a much more convenient piece of technology that allows you to really make your mobile phone an extension of your personal life.

In fact, if you have your cameraphone right now, you can point your browsers to the TMS Philippine Embassy website and download the java applet for your phone.

If your phone is not listed, try downloading the app closest to your phone model. You can also choose to download the app directly to your phone by going to mobi.tms.com.ph on your phone’s browser. Then, try launching the application and take a picture of the Mobile This! tag on this site and see what happens!

As of the moment, shooting a TMS tag to access data is FREE for 2006. Standard GPRS, 3G and WiFi rates apply.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

MyThum And Artisan Live Reach Consumers Anywhere They Buy

The cell phone is the next medium advertisers are targeting. MyThum is combining signage with text messaging to reach consumers effectively.

From NewsWire Reaching conusmers anywhere they buy

The number of "digital signs" on which Canadian marketers can advertise just got a whole lot bigger. With the partnership of Artisan Live , North America's premier full-service digital sign developer and MyThum Interactive , Canada's leading mobile media company, advertisers can now interact with consumers over retail and out of home level screens, inviting them to interact via cell phone.

"The next generation of in-store merchandising has arrived," explained
Artisan Live Marketing Manager, Kris Matheson.

By combining the capabilities of MyThum and Markham, Ont.-based digital sign developer Artisan Live and applying them to 6,305 digital signs across Canada. "So if I'm shopping in a store or a mall, or at a restaurant or bar, I can see a very explicit message onscreen, text in and get the coupon or a bar code for a discount on my cellphone and redeem it by simply walking up to a counter."

Scanbuy Recognized As A Web 2.0 Company

One of the physical world connection companies, Scanbuy , is being recognized as a player for the "2.0 World".

I like to refer to "2.0 World" as Phase 2

From Longworth's blog Where the action is in IT

Longworth's Annual Conference was held last week at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, MA. Over 150 professionals from the entrepreneur and venture community attended to discuss the latest trends in information technology.

There was plenty discussion about how Web 2.0 concepts will be used in the enterprise and very interesting speculation about what will be the "Enterprise 2.0 Killer App".

The Conference also featured presentations from Sermo and Scanbuy , two very interesting Longworth portfolio companies that clearly fit the model for success in a "2.0 world".

Monday, October 16, 2006

Mobile Marketing Needs Physical World Hyperlinks

From International Herald Tribune Mobile marketing in an ink blot

QR, or quick response, codes are a similar to bar codes except they are square, look a bit like an ink blot and contain much more information. In Japan and South Korea, QR codes are used to link directly to a Web site, as in the case of the subway poster, saving the user the need to type an address on the tiny keypad of the phone. As marketers seek an edge on competitors, QR codes are appearing practically everywhere in Japan.

Denso Wave, a Japanese electronics company, created QR codes in 1994 to track car parts, employing hand-held devices that are still in use.

Although it patented the process, the company allowed anybody to create QR codes without having to pay a licensing fee. That helped the technology take off.

But that by itself would not have been enough to guarantee the code's ubiquity, said Daniel Scuka, the editor of Wireless Watch Japan, an online publication.

"QR codes have been a great success in Japan because phone carriers confronted this in a systemic way, with all of them using the same technology," he said - a potential lesson for carriers in Europe and the United States.


I think that is the most important line in this story. A universal reader and 2d code will be the catalyst.

While QR codes have had success in Japan and South Korea, they have not made the leap to the rest of Asia, Europe and North America.

MobileTag, developed by the French company Abaxia, and ShotCode , created by a Swedish-Dutch start-up called OP3, are similar to QR codes and could be the early favorites to grab market share outside Asia, should the technology catch on.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Does 5o9 Offer The Complete PWC Solution?

This is probably one of the most complete PWC solutions I have seen to date, and it proves that there is more to scanning a 2d code than being connected to a website.

Recently OP3 announced Coca Cola Mexico would be putting 40 million ShotCodes on Sprite bottles for camera phones to scan. Look what 5o9 can offer after the users click.

Scan a 2d code (physical world hyperlink PWH), in this case a ShotCode and get connected to an Internet site. With 5o9, your personal preferences (which you already provided) are matched up with your location and coupons are delivered to your cell phone. (I don't know if their solution works with some of the other 2d codes)

5o9 might just have the complete solution for physical world connection commerce.

Wave your cell phone at the POS terminal retailer for the discount. I think this platform could be incorporated into almost any type of mobile search, but the PWH adds the direct connect feature.

Here's the kicker, the retailer's POS terminal is scanning the coupon, not the mobile phone. Your phone is just acting as the "carrying case" for the coupon.

Physical world hyperlinks, permission marketing, location based services and mobile commerce all in one.

Could Google use this for their Pay-Per-Coupon application?


5o9™ Me solves a multitude of commercial and technological problems, including nearly all of the business problems identified by the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA).




5o9’s unique Pushing with Permission™ capability provides the vital link to consumer acceptance of mobile marketing. By respecting customer preferences for sharing information, businesses can deliver greater value and relevance to their customers and marketing partners.

If you have access to a Windows Mobile 5.0 PocketPC they can send you the client side code and you can run all of the demo’s live in real time.

Not only can 5o9™ do mobile coupons with barcodes in real time, they can also do it based upon the users location as it relates to a business e.g. Starbucks, Grocery stores etc.

This was done to demonstrate for a large US retailer how he could notify his customers of an in store promotion. The GPS notifies the user of the nearest store offering the promotion, gives the user a map to the store AND sends them a coupon which is time sensitive.

All of this is based off a consumers “personal” opt-in information being transmitted to the content provider. Each of the Check boxes are controlled by the end user (Me)… I can turn them on or off at will.

Also note the other four tabs… GPS for additional real time location information, Phone number for eCRM, Device for knowing what kind of device I’m using and what are its terminal capabilities are and finally a “Starbucks” tab which will tell you the location of the nearest Starbucks to you and offer you a coupon for a discount (time sensitive).

5o9™ simplifies personalization by consolidating the source for entering, storing encrypting and transmitting personal, Who, (contact and preferences), What (device capabilities), and Where (GPS, Zip/Postal code, Area code) data on the user’s device. Once received by the content site, 5o9™ server software makes this data accessible to a company's existing business applications.

There is simply no friction between the impulse buy (scan) and the web site knowing Me. Tie this to a micropayment system and the sky’s the limit

Mobiqa's Mobile Barcodes Win Award


From MediaSoon Mobile barcodes win 2nd prize

Mobiqa, world leaders in mobile ticket and mobile coupon solutions, were chosen as runners up for International Excellence at the 2006 Scottish Software Awards.

This little Scottish company is doing amazing things with mobile.

They've been around for four years or so and have taken the lead in delivering retail solutions for promotion redemption using patented barcode recognition systems.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Physical World Connection Commerce?

This is a very exciting idea that uses physical world hyperlinks (PWH). Instead of just linking a 2d code to the Internet, this platform enables a number of other revenue producing functions for the carrier and the brand. PWH will be used for more than just advertising.

The focus has been on scanning a barcode and linkingto the Net, but what if 2d codes could be used for mobile commerce?

I see a PayPal licensing this platform for a "PayClick" service.

I have been saying that if the PWC cos "open up" their codes and let users decide the connection path and function, the quicker physical world connection gets adopted.

We have been informed that Jan Benes has developed and patented a system similar in design and function to Shotcode, that also allows to charge mobile users through special rated short text messages.

It uses today's technologies and services provided by mobile operators, so no special hardware or agreements with operators are necessary.


This system has many possible uses, because the provider can charge mobile users
for using the code.

In product marketing, mobile users can participate in contests, receive/purchase digital media as video or music directly on their phone, buy customer loyalty points etc. In showbusiness, it is possible to purchase media, movie premiere trailers, music samples by shooting posters.

Jan's system also allows to authorize mobile users, example is paid access to wifi networks at airports. On top of that by shooting the code it is possible to pay in public transportation, pay for postage or retrieve postage status.

He has patended the solution of connecting this code and sending payment and has the exclusive option to register patent anywhere else in the world.

Can you see how a PayPal or Visa could license this? I can see one of the ecommerce companies adopting this quickly.

Here's an idea. PayPal licenses this platform and to get users to download the software to the phone they offer x number of dollars off every purchase when you use "PayClick". Start by depositing a small amount in a user's PP account when they download the application.

Jan Benes is currently looking for partner to help with faster development of commercial applications and content provision systems, so feel free to contact him at jan.benes@europm.com.

Physical World Hyperlinks Can Bridge The Gap

Last week Sprite announced they would be putting ShotCodes(physical world hyperlinks) on 40 million bottles. I suggested this was a very good thing for the physical world connection. The faster people see consumer products with camera phone codes to scan, the quicker PWC gets adopted.

PWC companies should let individuals create their own codes and link to whatever/wherever, just to get as many in market as quickly as possible.

At this point, all PWC players should be happy a major brand like Coca Cola will be doing some heavy lifting for this emerging industry.

Slicecast discusses an article by the NPD Group that shows an enormous mobile technology gap between Japan and the US.

The data shows that just 12% of US mobile subscribers have used their phones for web browsing, whereas in Japan that figure stands at 76%.

It is for this reason, and this reason alone that brands who want to explore the mobile channel - and test solutions / marketing ideas - should look to Asia.

With over 27% of Japanese using barcode readers regularly and 26% using GPS there is huge potential for innovative marketers to leverage on this phenomenon.

Agencies such as OgilvyOne are already making use of barcode technology in their Japanese campaigns, and we can expect to see much more of this in the future.


To those outside of Japan talk of barcode readers may draw blank faces, which makes sense - these technologies are integrated into handset software and are becoming ubiquitous, whereas in other markets we can download the software to the phone - but without an application to scan, whats the point?!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

How Do Carriers Increase Mobile Internet Usage

All About Mobile has a suggestion and proof on how to increase mobile internet usage.


Couldn't that be different if handset manufacturers and telecoms would push now for integrated QR Code readers like in Japan - which increased by factor 3 the mobile internet usage in Japan in 2005?

I agree. Physical world connection (PWC) will play a big role in increasing Avg Rev Per User (ARPU)

The PWC will get adopted much quicker when there's either a "universal" 2d code (Google could do this), or PWC players make their code distinguishable, like ConnexTo has done.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Microsoft Uses Shotcodes For Xbox Promo

Last week physical world connection player OP3 announced Coca Cola Mexico would be placing 40 million Shotcodes on Sprite bottles, and this appears as though Microsoft has adopted, or incorporated Shotcode for one of their marketing campaigns.

Both companies are targeting the right demographic.

From the Microsoft's Xbox website, it looks like Microsoft is using the physical world hyperlink , Shotcode in their monthly newsletter to promote goodies for the Xbox.

Take your best shot

Snap up mega MotoGP ‘06 goodies
Supercharge your phone by snapping the MotoGP ‘06 shotcode. Take a picture of it and your phone will automatically go to the MotoGP ‘06 site where you can pick up action packed wallpapers, screenshots and screensavers.

If it’s your first time.

Before you go off on a photo frenzy, visit http://www.shotcode.com with your camera phone’s web browser and you’ll be ready to grab the MotoGP ‘06 goodies. And once you’ve got this whizzy little bit of technology on your phone you can use it on any shotcode you see.

What’s a shotcode again?

It’s a circular symbol that represents a URL. If you see one on something you like, take a picture of it with your camera phone. It’ll automatically take you to the mobile internet site where you can find out more information, go shopping and get great downloads. No more typing or texting – just shoot the shotcode.


Coca Cola and now Microsoft. All you need is a couple major brands to introduce this technology for physical world connection to get adopted.

Great find from iDeaLabs

Friday, October 06, 2006

Web 2.0 Or Physical World Connection?

Eric Lundquist at eWeek has a good story called Keeping the Web 2.0 bubble inflated

The difference between the current B2B Web plans and those on the consumer side couldn't be greater. The business 2.0 world is tying in the digital world to the real world.

There was a flurry of interest recently when Hewlett-Packard labs introduced its
Memory Spot chip. That chip, about the size of a tomato seed, has a 10MB-per-second transfer rate and can store about 4MB of data. It is a long road from a lab experiment to a product, but whether it be a Memory Spot chip, RFID (radio-frequency identification) chip, an enhanced bar code or a Dust Networks wireless sensor, real-world information is becoming part of the information technology infrastructure.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Nokia Unveils Wibree, Short-Range Wireless Tech

Wibree would provide a connection link with speeds up to 1 Mbps at a distance of up to 30 feet. According to Nokia, Wibree can be implemented as a standalone solution or as a Bluetooth-Wibree module. Nokia see Wibree as a perfect fit for mobile phones, watches, wireless keyboards, sports and medical equipment as well as children’s toys.

While Wibree can operate in conjunction with existing Bluetooth networks, it uses a different frequency band - 2.4 gigahertz as opposed to 6 gigaherz

"Wibree technology is an important development that opens up new market opportunities and a whole new range of possibilities for mobile users.Our aim is to establish an industry standard faster than ever before by offering an interoperable solution that can be commercialized and incorporated into products quickly," said Dr. Bob Iannucci, head of the Nokia Research Center.

The question, for some, was how Wibree will fit in with the existing short-range wireless technologies already in place, including ZigBee, a command-and-control technology; NFC, which is being used for wireless smart-card commerce

TETRAGATE A High Volume Physical World Hyperlink Application

I found this interesting. No, it doesn't involve a mobile phone that I can see yet, but it does allow scanning 2 forms of physical world hyperlinks in high volumes.

I see this being deployed in airports (RFID passports and Homeland Security database). If the biometric function can be used on its own and matched with the HS database, I would think every mall, border crossing, stadium etc would implement.

American Barcode and RFID (AB&R) is pleased to announce the creation of a new technology -- TETRAGATE -- which combines UHF RFID (radio frequency identification) technology inside an employee ID card with biometric facial recognition.

TETRAGATE recognizes people approaching from 60 feet away in a fraction of a second, reading up to 60,000 faces in a single second -- without people knowing their images are being scanned.

All assets, human or physical, can be linked into and managed by a single, formidable database that provides effective and total flexibility of configuration and integration.

Data Sheet (pdf)

The best methods of identifying people are retina scanning, fingerprinting, and face mapping, clearly methods not usually possible with large groups of people moving through entryways at once.

Using an Infinova surveillance camera and Fulcrum biometric software, TETRAGATE focuses on the challenge, providing a solution in which even a laptop, iPod, or other RFID tagged assets can be tied to a human asset to match people who are authorized to be on the property at a given time

Monday, October 02, 2006

Coca Cola Mexico Connects Sprite Bottles With Camera Phones And ShotCodes

Which came first, the chicken or the ShotCode?

One of the biggest obstacles facing the PWC industry is brands want to know how many people can click on a cdoe. How many people have the ability to scan a code. In order for the PWC cos to get people to download the readers (until carriers embed them) there has to be a large amount of codes to scan, or a great campaign to do so.

When Sprite puts a physical world hyperlink on 40 million bottles, that could be all it takes. I am thinking of the other Coca Cola brands that will decide to do this.

This has to be one of the biggest physical world connection campaigns to date.

A major brand, a new country, the right demographic and 40 million potential physical world hyperlinks.

See how Sprite is using ShotCodes

Coca Cola Mexico launches 40 million Sprite bottles with ShotCodes.

Today the Coca Cola Cooperation Mexico has a world exclusive. For the first time ever an on-pack mobile barcode scanning campaign is launched outside of Asia.

Mobile barcode scanning, which is ubiquitous in Japan and Korea using technology comparable to ShotCode, has never been introduced on this scale outside of these countries.Outside of Japan it’s not that obvious, however Coca Cola Mexico with its first implementation of ShotCodes will change all this.

Forty million Sprite bottles have been labeled with ShotCodes, circular barcodes that can be scanned with standard camera mobile phones that have the ShotCode software installed.

See how a ShotCode works (video)

ShotCodes , created by Dutch/Swedish OP3 and implemented by Mexican KTC and Codice, connect users instantly to Sprite’s mobile web page.

Download your free ShotCode reader.

The technology functions much in the same way as you would expect from a normal barcode scanner, you are however using your standard camera mobile phone. Once scanned a Sprite trivia question is automatically presented.

According to OP3’s founder and Creative Director Dennis Hettema millions of Mexicans have compatible mobile phones

MyClick Connects Physical World

Add MyClick to the physical world connection list .

"MyClick", a ground breaking and unique Mobile Media Platform that empowers the mobile user with the choice to possess exciting and exclusive infotainment and m-commerce upon demand.

They just recently launched their platform in China

"MyClick" software (which support GPRS or 3G), the user can access immediate interactive content from print media, such as in newspaper, magazines, billboards at shopping malls and outdoor billboards and even tent cards, by simply taking a photo of a framed image within the advertisement.

The MyClick framed square is a square framed with 4 stars. In order to connect to the content related to the MyClick framed square, you have to shoot the entire frame with your camera.