How does a business card in China disrupt Physical World Connection?
A consumer in China shows us how China is starting to use 1D barcodes on business cards. The ability to generate and scan a 1d barcode with a mobile phone has enormous implications.
CamClic allows anyone to create AND scan 1D barcodes (in addition to 2D codes) with a camera phone.
The CamClic solution has solved one of the biggest hurdles of Physical World Connection, scanning a 1d code with a mobile phone.
What does that really mean to advertisers, brands, search engines and consumers?
If the barcodes that are already on packaging can now be scanned with a mobile phone, and consumers can create their own 1d barcode, has the mobile code standard already been established?
There are over 3 billion unique barcodes. A 12 oz can of Coke has one, the 16 oz has another etc. While that 12 oz can of Coke has one physical world hyperlink, it represents millions of ways to directly connect a consumer to Coke.
Billions of individual items/brands represent trillions of physical world hyperlinks waiting to be connected to the Net.
Every product with a barcode, Coke cans, Fergie CDs, just need to be "turned on". Google can add over 3 billion pages of unique data to their index by assigning a URL (website) AND FUNCTIONS to a barcode. Functions could include (coupons, video, consumer report, warranty, tech support, reorder etc)
Do you think barcode owners could find uses for this? More importantly, would consumers?
The killer app for Mobile Advertising will be a portal/platform that can “turn on” AND create physical world hyperlinks.
I explained how Microsoft can beat Google this way.
Up until now, 1d codes have been kept in a closed network. Cashiers and stockboys scan a 1d code for product information and checkout. The information delivered FROM the barcode comes from servers inside the store network....(intranet).
You can also type in a UPC code into a search engine and get a general summary of the product and manufacturer.
What happens when Google, Apple or Microsoft introduce a mobile barcode scanning application that allows anyone to scan a barcode and be connected to the Net. This will open the network for trillions of objects.
How does a barcode threaten search engines?
The physical world hyperlink will now allow website owners to direct traffic to their site with a physical object rather than a search engine. A barcode on a product replaces "For more information visit our website". That’s what I call disruptive.
However, here's how Google connects the physical world
Great thought goes into the packaging of a product, but one thing is put on every package that brands have never been able to use before, until now. The barcode. Its universal, can be scanned/typed, doesn’t take up any more room on the product to market, and can now provide a direct connection w/ the Internet…a Physical World Hyperlink.
In their massive content land grab, would Google ever consider acquiring the UPC database? Would they need to if they could just link them using their "Google Click" mobile application?
Google thrives on acquiring and creating content, the other opportunity I see for Google with physical world hyperlinks is social networking.
Google could offer bloggers, website owners, MySpacers or their own social network site a chance to create their own 1D code (physical world hyperlink) . If both brands and consumers used this type of mobile code, wouldn't that make it the default "standard" for mobile code scanning?
CamClic now makes it possible to connect all items with a 1d barcode to the Internet using a mobile phone AND allows users to create their own physical world hyperlink. This will have a huge impact on advertising and social networking.
Comments, thoughts?
22 comments:
What happend to Scanbuy in all this? Is CamClic better? Just curious.
Scanbuy is still very much in the picture, but CamClic's solution changes the picture.
Turning on existing codes versus creating new ones..
The PWC space is definitely getting interesting.
p.s. The EFF patent review could even further change the picture. That's another post for another time :)
I like reading your posts on PP Scott. It starting to "rumble up" between the PWC players :-
I expect the playing field to change dramatically in the next 30-60 days.
Hi Scott, what is the advantage for Google enabling people to create 1D hyperlinks? Isn't 2d barcodes better?
2d codes hold more data, but if products and consumers used the same physical world hyperlink, a "standard" could be created.
One scanning application, one type of barcode.
What about that EFF patent review Scott? Tell us more :-)
Overall, I guess it could come down to this: Who gets 'there' first with the 'best' barcode reader preloaded on handsets that will consistently decipher the primary three open standard 2d barcodes as well as 1d barcodes. It seems to me that some 'agreement' about how the masses interact with 1d or 2d barcodes with a handset-embedded barcode reader would be beneficial to consumers and PWC content providers alike, and that in turn would suggest the desirability of some sort of generic, universal barcode reader. Personally, although somewhat tech savvy, I would not want to download more than one barcode reader, if that was required. Question: IYO, will MC2 gain any traction now re: standards, or is it DOA?
Here's the way I look at it.
1d codes are everywhere just waiting to be read.
2d codes (all variations) are being created for various uses.
2 questions:
1. is there a code scanning application that can read both?
2. what applications/corporations could get a massive amount of "universal" 2d codes in the market the quickest? DuPont and Google
There is reason why I don't hold the MC2 with any regard. Look at the PWC company they "invited" (and the ones they didn't) to participate in developing a mobile code.
This company has gone through numerous management changes (CEO and CFO just resigned) and business models in the last year.
According to their financial statements they are in default on various loans with their IP pledged as collateral.
The EFF has petitioned the US Patent office to review their patents.
They are still in a 3 year plus lawsuit with Scanbuy (a PWC that is kicking their proverbial butt).
What happens if the US Patent office agrees to review their patents? Do you think any judge will try a case knowing a higher court is reviewing these patents?
How long (years) do you think this case could take then? Given their current financial state, can they stay alive that long?
Let's not forget, they have yet to land any major PWC campaign.
If you were a major brand, would you risk building a campaign around their platform based on this information?
See why I think the MC2 made a wise choice?
Just something to ponder.
Can´t you read both 1D and 2D barcodes with CamClic?
"Let's not forget, they have yet to land any major PWC campaign."
I tend to think that Pearson Prentice Hall knew what they were doing when they featured NeoMedia's qode in its latest marketing textbook and having it distributed to hundreds of college universities in the US.
There are a total of 12 NeoMedia smartcodes integrated into the "Marketing: real people, real choices," 2007 Marketing textbook.
Additionally, Prentice Hall has launched a mobile sales force automation/support tool powered by qode, "FonCram", for this book and 39 additional titles.
Care to comment Scott?
I think you meant to say MC2 made an 'unwise' choice vice wise choice, PP. Nonetheless just about everyone will agree with you that the 'invited' PWC company that is part of MC2 has rung up an absolutely disastrous, terrible record and is currently beholding to a loan shark. BUT...they've thrown everything but the kitchen sink (filled with shareholder money mind you) at the PWC adoption opportunity...and utterly failed to date. (The question is why--besides poor management.) However, I guess you could at least say they have proven what doesn't work for PWC adoption, as opposed to what does or will work. I have not yet seen ANY PWC company with its hat in the ring prove itself for potential mass adoption nor rack up revenues at this point (outside Japan or Korea). IM, all bets are off until one or more of these wanabe PWCs gets real traction (with real revenues as opposed to PRs) and gets beyond what are essentially beta tests. I or DuPont or Google can print and post massive numbers of 1D & 2D codes but if they can't be read, and/or there is no connection to content, what does it matter?
Yes you can read 1D and 2D barcodes with CamClic.
Very best regards,
The CamClic Team
A college text book is hardly a marketing campaing.
Stating the "wise" choice was tongue in cheek.
Wireless carriers, handsets and the largest consumer packaging corp have adopted/embedded other companies PWC technology.. why weren't they invited.
You better not blink monkey boy ... Deutsche Telekom just joined Mobile Codes Consortium.
Deutsche Telekom is one of the world's leading telecommunications companies represented in 50 countries around the globe. As a unit of Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile International is one of the world's leading mobile communications providers, with more than 100 million customers in Europe and the United States. They follow industry leaders Nokia, KPN and Telefónica O2 Europe who joined the Mobile Codes Consortium last month.
Wait until you see what other industry leaders will be joining the MC2 Steering Group.
You ain't seen nothing yet!
Cheers mate ;)
Why would 'they' (you?) even be concerned or want to be invited to join MC2 is the question, if 'they' have already embedded/adopted other companies presumably superior PWC? Why not just remain silent and let 'their' tech stand if it is better?
I used to think you were simply a NEOM antagonist. I never understood what happened between you and NEOM and was forced to fill in the blanks with guesswork. I assumed that you were just pissed off at their BOD decisions and a personal financial agreement of some sort. I thought you were antagonistic toward even NEOM shareholders. Turns out you were right about the people that made up NEOM. They were pretenders. I'm sorry for my assumptions of your motivations. I wish I had listened to you back in 2005. I wouldn't be in the financial pickle that I'm in. When I think of NEOM, I fluctuate between anger and sadness. That's now how it's supposed to be. This is a very exciting space, and I wish I knew you personally so that I'd have a better understanding of the players and pretenders.
Thank you.
I try to cover all of the PWC companies and events related to them.
I will not comment on any companies (PWC related or others) that I have experienced that do business in an unethical manner.
The Pondering Primate started covering PWC 3 yrs ago. Soon, I will be expanding with Daily Disruptions.
Finding daily stories that include technology (various) that could lead to the next killer app.
I think that it should be said that upc codes (the 1d barcode standard) is managed by the UCC, and are not just open to be used by anyone. Which is why a 2d code is a bit more useful in my opinion. While I would love to see the UCC step up and start/manage a upc to url service i just don't see it happening. Hopefully there is someone who can step up and offer an open system to do the conversions along the lines of the dns system we have today.
An open system is coming up ;-)
I do think the use of 1D bar codes is huge - particular in the CPG space. UPC barcode standards are on all packaging, and all the retail infrastructure for reading them is in place. The data I capture on my mobile is formatted for use with any retail POS system and anything sent to my phone in this format can be read by any retail POS system. Asking a highly integrated (and enormous) channel that includes product manufacturers, distributors, and retailers is asking for serious push-back and a long time to adoption.
However, I should add that many people wonder what role you played in "the decline", and what role you're currently playing with the EFF nonsense. You say that ethics are important. I agree. Monkey See, Monkey Do? Time will tell.
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