MediaTek Embeds Scanbuy's 2D Barcode Technology

Yesterday the buzz was about the Mobile Codes Consortium and how mobile players were meeting about how to get Physical World Connection (PWC) adopted. I will have more comments on this in a bit.

Meanwhile, instead of talking about adoption, one PWC player was actually doing it.

This agreement should allow quicker (PWC) adoption from handset manufacturers.

New York, NY, February 28, 2007- Scanbuy, Inc . (www.scanbuy.com), a global provider of wireless commerce solutions, today announced a strategic partnership with MediaTek, Inc., a global leader in consumer and communications IC solutions, to embed Scanbuy 2D barcode technology in MediaTek’s platform marketed to handset manufacturers globally.

MediaTek, a global supplier of wireless communication chipsets and the leading supplier in the greater China market, will offer the Scanbuy barcode technology to all its handsets customers throughout the world. Several key customers are in testing phase already with the technology.

“MediaTek’s global handset customer base makes them an ideal partner,” said Jonathan Bulkeley, Chief Executive Officer of Scanbuy, Inc. “We’re pleased MediaTek is committed to bringing the advanced functionality of our proven barcode-capture technology to their handset partners worldwide.”

“Barcode capturing technology will definitely be an important solution for the mobile world,” said Randolf Wu, Operational Officer of Trilogy Technology. “We’re extremely pleased to form the cooperation partnership between MediaTek and Scanbuy.” Trilogy Technology serves as Scanbuy’s representative in Taiwan.

Serving as a cooperative partner with mainland China's largest cell phone brands, JiChang Hsu, V.P. Wireless Communications BU MediaTek, Inc. said, “We have seen increasing demand from our handset customers for barcode capture technology and we chose Scanbuy as a partner because of their state of the art technology and commitment to customer support”.

Denim Code A Physical World Connection Player

Add DenimCode to the Physical World Connection player list .

From ToUBeauty Get a QR code on your jeans

The new French brand Denim Code created interactive jeans that make it possible for the future purchaser to have access to audio-video contents from the clothing.

Thanks to a special free downloadable software, the consumer will be able to capture with his mobile the image of some kind of intelligent bar code embroidered or printed on the clothing, called the tag. He takes a picture of the label that will enable him to watch clips, movies or all kinds of shows

Some Mobile Players Meet On Barcode

From FT.com Mobile Groups Study Barcode Plan (subscription)

Leading mobile communications companies are due to meet in London on Tuesday to consider a plan that would help turn handsets into personal barcode readers – a move that could stimulate the first big mobile-driven advertising market.



While I think it's great that there's some initiative to adopt a specific code and code reading platform, I think the PWC companies that are actually getting their platform adopted by the handets and wireless carriers should have been invited to participate.

Other companies involved in the field say signs of strong consumer adoption of the technology in recent months in Japan and South Korea have stimulated a rash of experiments elsewhere in the world that is likely to make the technology widespread, regardless of the standards push.

In one of the widest-ranging initiatives to date,DuPont last week said it would make 2D codes available on the cans, bottles and many other types of packaging that it supplies to consumer product companies around the world.

I don't think the potential of this licensing agreement has been digested yet.

I explain why here .

Thanks to early work by carriers such as DoCoMo in Japan and China Mobile, “there are already some pretty basic standards that everyone can live by”, said Jonathan Bulkeley of Scanbuy, whose technology is being used by DuPont.

The HP/Publicis group, known as the Mobile Codes Consortium , hoped to reach basic agreements on technology within a year.

Is DuPont Creating The 21st Century Barcode?

In my opinion, DuPont is in the process of creating the 21st Century Barcode.

Physical world connection happens when a mobile device is able to scan a barcode (physical world hyperlink), resolve the barcode, and connect to the Internet.

To understand why it has taken longer than expected for Physical World Connection (PWC) to get adopted you need to know the obstacles it faces.

There's a standard 1d code (barcode) you find on consumer goods can be read by any retailer. A can of soup, DVD, book, allergy medicine, power tool etc all have a universal code that can be recognized by all scanners in supermarkets, Circuit City, CVS, Home Depot etc. For now, camera phones can't scan these 1D codes without a special lens attachment.

Most camera phones can scan 2d codes but where do you find them (Europe and States)? There are a dozen 2D code creating sites, but what is needed for mass adoption is a mass producer of 2d codes for/on consumer goods.

Probably the biggest catalyst for Physical World Connection adoption occurred last week when DuPont licensed Scanbuy's interactive 2D barcode technology for packaging applications.

Because Dupont is probably the largest consumer good packaging company in the world, they can create the 2d code "standard" on consumer good packaging for mobile devices going forward. Once could say this is a "tip of the old Hatlo Hat" to Scanbuy when they explained to DuPont how they could be in charge of the domain registry for physical world connection for consumer goods.

Every consumer good can now have a physical world hyperlink (2D code) that can be scanned with numerous camera phones.

Being at the top of the "food chain", you can create the standard just on size alone.

When Scanbuy teamed up with Dupont in a licensing deal,they didn't just get one major brandthey got an international company that creates the packaging for thousands of major brands. Scanbuy has the ability to indirectly represent and connect thousands of major brands in several countries.

For an example. The 2d codes placed on a softdrink bottle DuPont produces aren't just for Coke, they can go on every soft drink bottle that is used by every soft drink brand.

Landing the largest consumer packaging good company will force the others (phone manuf, wireless carriers) to adapt/implement their business plans around this standard. See how powerful this licensing deal is now?

With Dupont stepping up to the plate, they will eliminate a lot of the indecision phone manuf, wireless carriers, BRANDS and mobile marketing companies are having.

Nokia already adopted this code scanning application. I expect to see a major carrier adopt this application shortly.

In my opinion, this one development makes the Mobile Codes Consortium unnecessary. Their (MCC) mission for the mobile industry is to "create a consortium for a new mobile marketing ecosystem based around camera phones and 2D barcodes. A market-driven, open-standards approach will allow 2D barcodes to act as a catalyst in mobile internet adoption, mirroring the growth of web adoption over the last ten years".

DuPont is already doing this by adding this new "barcode" on their packaging.

Wouldn't it make sense for newspapers, magazines and other forms of media to adopt the same 2d code? Wouldn't it be easier for Coke to use the same 2d code on all forms of advertising?

I still think there will be a market for applications with proprietary 2d codes. I can think of some great ideas for this, but they shouldn't impede mass adoption of PWC.

I explained my thinking about the Mobile Codes Consortium in a post called Mobile Codes Consortium A Consortium or a Conundrum?
Conundrum resolved. Implementation supercedes discussion.

I agree that a 2d code standard should be set that will allow quicker adoption, but I think it would make more sense to invite a handset manufacturer, a wireless provider and a major brand into this consortium. After all, aren't those the players the PWC companies are trying to land? At least invite a PWC that has landed a handset company or wireless carrier.

Or maybe there's a reason they aren't.

Trillcode Uses 2D Codes To Connect Physical World

Add Trillcode to the Physical World Connection list

Trillcode is a 2D barcode made to be used with mobile phones. Its strength is the scalable design which will allow not only increasing capacity, but inside modifications as well



Trillcode is one of the few physical world connection applications which has the decoder integrated in the phone application and does not rely on server decoding.

Trillcode is ominidirectional, scalable, you can input 5-86 characters (numbers, letters, signs) and the size accomodate with your data. Their next version which allow hundreds of characters is almost ready.

They are the first to allow placing a logo image inside the code as far as they know.

1. POINT your phone to a trillcode located on a wall, newspaper or monitor
2. SHOOT and the Trillcode application will give you the clear content of the code
3. TAKE ACTION and participate in campaign with a single key press.

See how easy it is to create your own physical world hyperlink (2D code) and attach specific functions for it.
Applications include (website, SMS, phone number, email, download content, contacts)

To download the Trillcode application.

Mobot Offers Latest Mobile Marketing Application

Mobot and their physical world connection application, gets recognized for their mobile marketing technique. From Marketing Vox Latest marketing techniques coming to mobile phone

And Mobot Inc. used its mobile visual search - in which users search and browse the web using pictures taken with a cellphone camera - to power a Starbucks visual scavenger hunt and Acura sweepstakes this summer.

A year ago Mobot was acquired by a mobile marketing company for approximately $10m. Visionary Innovations was instrumental in what was called, "The Marketing Wedding of the Year".

In December 2006, the acquiring company sold Mobot back to its founders.

ScanBuy And DuPont Offer Brand Interaction With Barcodes And Camera Phone

Company's 2D Barcode Solutions To Be Used with Select Global Brands

This is a huge win for Scanbuy and for the Physical World Connection space. DuPont placing 2D codes on their packaging builds an immediate database for consumers to scan.

This should change the perception that Scanbuy was just a price comparison tool using a camera phone and barcode.

Scanbuy, Inc., (www.scanbuy.com) a global provider of wireless commerce solutions today announced an exclusive agreement with DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers (P&IP) (www.DuPont.com) to license Scanbuy’s interactive 2D (two dimensional) barcode technology for packaging applications.

As a part of the agreement, DuPont P&IP will be the exclusive marketer of Scanbuy’s interactive camera-phone technology to the packaging industry.

DuPont's Product and Services list . There's endless physical world hyperlink applications there.

DuPont P&IP selected Scanbuy as its exclusive technology provider to commercialize and market Scanbuy’s interactive technology to select global brands under the DuPont banner. When imbedded in product packaging, 2D barcode technology enables a myriad of consumer interactive applications directly from mobile handsets.

Some potential uses in packaging are checking nutritional content of food & beverages or determining if a cosmetic is suited for you, and more sophisticated uses like playing games & winning prizes.

“Smart packaging represents a key future packaging trend and opens up new opportunities that run the gamut from better inventory tracking to brand enhancement,” said Dr. John Hillenbrand, Vice President, Innovation and Technology for DuPont P&IP business unit.

“We chose to partner with Scanbuy because their barcode-capture technology and services platforms are clearly more advanced and robust than others in the market.”

“DuPont has long been an industry leader in packaging innovations and has deep expertise in commercialization of new products and technology,” said Jonathan Bulkeley, Chief Executive Officer of Scanbuy, Inc.

“We selected DuPont as our exclusive packaging partner to benefit not only from their depth of experience but also their extensive reach into the consumer products packaging industry. “

Physical World Connection Licensing

Law.com has a great story about a intellectual property portfolio company that went from being labeled a patent troll, to getting respect from Fortune 1000 companies.

The article explains how they are able to generate licensing revenues by only purchasing patents that aready being used. Patent holders are getting leverage by partnering with intellectual property (IP) licensing firms.

Among TechSearch's affiliates was physical world connection player Veritec, Inc , a Minnesota-based manufacturer of two-dimensional bar code system now used in coding and tracking electronic gadgets and license plates. Before partnering with TechSearch, says Veritec CEO Van Thuy Tran, Veritec was having problems getting a market footing because of copycat products.

Veritec turned over exclusive licensing rights to TechSearch, and the Niro firm began filing patent suits on its behalf in November 2003. The licensing effort started generating royalties, but Veritec filed for bankruptcy in March 2005. The company was still mired in bankruptcy proceedings when Acacia acquired the rights to its bar code patents. Since then, Veritec has sued three companies and collected more than $700,000 in licensing fees. In 2006 licensing revenue of more than $250,000 represented more than 70 percent of Veritec's total revenue for the year. The company has now emerged from bankruptcy and is debt-free, Tran says.

"We could not have done it without Acacia," Tran says. "We were a small, struggling company, and people were stealing a technology that rightfully belongs to us.

Todd Dagres of Spark Capital offers his take saying the convergence of two kinds of ''IPs" -- Internet protocol and intellectual property -- would create huge financial opportunities.

I think you find more companies use the New American Business Model , or partner with companies that can.

QR Code Examples

M.I.T. Advertising Lab has some examples of QR codes and how they are being used as physical world hyperlinks.

Ivan Aldrete at Love4Life explains that QR codes will create a second massive digital revolution .

Physical World Connection RFID Powder?

The Physical World Hyperlink in the form of an RFID tag, gets even smaller.

From Pink Tentacle Hitachi develops RFID powder

Hitachi’s new RFID chips (pictured on right, next to a human hair) are 64 times smaller than their mu-chips (left)

RFID keeps getting smaller. On February 13, Hitachi unveiled a tiny, new “powder” type RFID chip measuring 0.05 x 0.05 mm — the smallest yet — which they aim to begin marketing in 2 to 3 years.

By relying on semiconductor miniaturization technology and using electron beams to write data on the chip substrates, Hitachi was able to create RFID chips 64 times smaller than their currently available 0.4 x 0.4 mm mu-chips. Like mu-chips, which have been used as an anti-counterfeit measure in admission tickets, the new chips have a 128-bit ROM for storing a unique 38-digit ID number.

The new chips are also 9 times smaller than the prototype chips Hitachi unveiled last year, which measure 0.15 x 0.15 mm.

At 5 microns thick, the RFID chips can more easily be embedded in sheets of paper, meaning they can be used in paper currency, gift certificates and identification. But since existing tags are already small enough to embed in paper, it leads one to wonder what new applications the developers have in mind

Can A Speech Recognition Browser Be Far Behind?

Applications that use voice or words as physical world hyperlinks are starting to appear.

TellMe has speech recognition 411 for mobile, and with this announcement today, I think we should be expecting a speech recognition browser shortly.

Nuance Communications, Inc. and TeleCommunication Systems today announced the development of a speech-enabled mobile navigation system for mobile phones. TCS selected Nuance speech solutions to simplify the destination entry process for its white label TCS Navigator product, resulting in the creation of the first navigation system for mobile phones to offer voice destination entry.

The industry's leading speech recognition technology leverages large street address grammars to eliminate the time-consuming task of keying in street or city names by allowing users to simply speak a destination. The Nuance Mobile Speech Platform even filters "um" and "ah" type utterances, for fast, highly accurate recognition and response.

Michael Thompson, vice president and general manager, telco, search and communications for Nuance said "Speech-based navigation is just one of the many ways speech can be used to fundamentally change the way people use their mobile devices. The same technology can be used for other mobile tasks such as directory search, music search and message creation."

Nextcode And Smart Communications Launches Decode.. Barcode Scanning Application

A couple weeks ago Smart Communications announced they were licensing Nextcodes' Physical World Connection platform.

Nextcode Corporation , a worldwide leader in optical bar code scanning technology, announced today that Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART), the leading Philippine wireless services provider with 22.9 million subscribers, is the first major carrier to license Nextcode's ConnexTo(TM) for Carriers platform.

This week, Smart Communications officially launched the 2d code scanning application.

Chette.com provides a great summary , and pics of the applications, Smart Communications is offering with the ConnexTo platform.

A key point with this licensing agreement is that Smart Communications is known for embracing cutting edge technology and they chose a "non standard" code. Non standard meaning one that looks different and is adaptable from the other 2d codes you are used to seeing. Not only does the Nextcode's code contain more data per space, but the codes are flexible, meaning you can size them and shape them.

Nextcodes's Head of Product Development has a nice summary of this licensing agreement and the potential for Nextcode.

MoBeam Beams Barcodes From Mobile Phones To Scanners

Nexit Ventures' Ecrio is a company to add to the physical world connection list.


From DMNNewsWire Ecrio "beams" barcodes from mobile phones to scanners

Ecrio , a leader in real-time communications and commerce software for mobile phones, today launched MoBeam(TM), a patented new service that bridges the gap between mobile handsets and the global barcode point-of-sale infrastructure.

MoBeam features patented technology that permits the easy transfer of barcodes from mobile devices, including phones, to industry-standard scanners.

This new service will be available globally; Visa International, a leader in payment services, has agreed to integrate MoBeam barcode technology into Visa's recently announced mobile platform.

For years, technologists have known how to send barcode information to mobile phones (via email, WAP, SMS and more), but have been unable to transfer that barcode information (for tickets, coupons, gift cards, etc.) from the handset to barcode scanning devices.

"MoBeam is the missing link between today's mobile consumer and a worldwide commerce infrastructure based on barcodes," said Nagesh Challa, Ecrio Chairman and CEO. "For instance, a traveler using mobile search functions can be sent a digital coupon, easily redeemed at point-of-sale via the traveler's handset."

Chinese 2D Barcode Company Gets Funding And Adoption From China Mobile

Another 2d barcode company, or physical world connection company, gets their platform adopted by a major player.

From Pacific Epoch Gobi Invests In 2D Barcode Company

Inspiry Limited, China's leading 2D barcode technology and application provider Inspiry Limited announced on February 12 that it has completed a Series A round of funding from Gobi Partners . The amount raised was not disclosed.

Inspiry also announced that it had been selected by China Mobile as the sole 2D barcode technology provider for China Mobile's customized handsets. Inspiry is the developer of China's national barcode standard the Hanxing Code. Instead of talking about creating a standard, they landed the largest wireless provider and their code became it.

Inspiry's barcode technology has been installed in handsets from manufacturers including Nokia, Lenovo, and Dopod. Inspiry plans to use the funds to expand its technology.

Here's a key point I picked up on the site.

"In addition, China Mobile will launch a two-dimensional code on the Internet".

A major wireless provider is allowing users to create their own 2d codes, physical world hyperlinks. Would physical world adoption occur quicker in the States if Sprint or Verizon offered this?

At the recent International Exhibition of Automatic Identification Technology, Inspiry showcased their physical world application.

The exhibition was rich in content and covers the automatic identification technology and products, barcode technology and products, radio frequency identification (RFID ) technology and products, voice and image recognition technologies and products, and other optoelectronic OCR recognition technology products and integrated application of automatic identification solutions, automatic identification and application of integrated information solutions.

An entire conference devoted to physical world connection.

Here's a suggestion for the Mobile Consortium MC2 "organization".

If your true motive is to get physical world connection adopted, why don't you include the companies that are actually getting their PWC platforms adopted by carriers and handsets to your organization?

This announcement makes 3 different PWC companies that have had their platform adopted in the last month alone.

For the companies that aren't getting their platform adopted, I wonder if they can't "paint" the right picture.

Physical World Connection....The Next Wave

Connecting the physical world to the Internet isn't limited to scanning a barcode with a camera phone.

The Next Generation of the Net occurs when any device and or physical object can be connected to the Internet.

From MyFox Wireless sensors extend the Internet's reach

A building constructed atop a decommissioned nuclear reactor at the University of California, Los Angeles could pass for high-tech office space. A closer inspection of the glass-and-steel facade reveals dozens of miniature, low-resolution cameras and sensors. They're wirelessly linked to computers throughout the 6,000-square-foot space, keeping tabs on traffic flow in public areas and monitoring temperature, humidity and acoustics.

Those sensors and cameras are physical world hyperlinks.

Such networks could monitor the environment for pollutants, gauge whether structures are at risk of collapse or remotely follow medical patients in real time.

"I see this as the next wave of extending the Internet into the physical world," said computer scientist Deborah Estrin, who heads the Center for Embedded Networked Sensing, a UCLA-based consortium of six schools

Pondering Primate In The Running For Mobile Post Of The Year

I am honored to be selected as one of this year's finalists for Carnival Of The Mobilist's Mobile Post of the Year.

Carnival of the Mobilists- Khosla Ventures Post of the Year

The top 10 finalists (in no particular order)

1. Casual Mobile Snacks for Everyone
2. Mobile Gaming Blog
3. WAP 2006 Review
4. Murder of the iPod
5. Mobile Youth interviews
6.Qualcomm's legal shenanigans
7.We Interrupt This Broadcast
8. Current and future mobile applications
9.Problems with Coltan, the magic dust
10. A mobile phone better than the $100 laptop?

To vote for your favorite post, click here

I would like to thank Khosla Ventures for sponsoring this event. Kudos go out to Russell and Carlo for bringing together some of the best mobile bloggers and creating a one stop shop for provocative mobile thinking.

Google To Incorporate Barcodes For Mobile Search?

We are getting close to seeing a major portal introduce a 2d code creating site.

I expect Google to buy a 2d code application company and introduce a site (beta) that allows advertisers and consumers to create 2d codes.

The big battle from mobile search is coming, and Microsoft already unveiled their barcode reading application.

RSS feeds and "widgets" are really just modified hyperlinks for the digital world. They allow an easier way to access a website/information on the Web. 2d codes offer that same easy ability to access website/information on the Net, but for physical world objects.

A 2d code, or physical world hyperlink, will allow anyone with a camera phone to scan any physical object (magazine, poster, brochure, bus stop, business card etc) with one of these codes, and access the Internet for more information.

From IT Pro Google readies itself for mobile search face off

As reported by IT PRO, Vodafone, France Telecom, Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom, Hutchinson Whampoa, Telecom Italia and Cingular - are secretly planning joining forces on mobile search. And as mobile searches can be targeted to specific locations, the potential revenue from these searches could be huge.

D-J Collins, head of corporate communication at Google UK said that the company was also building partnerships with a broad range of companies and this would see a lot of innovation in mobile search as a result.

He said the market for mobiles was more advanced in countries such as the UK or Japan and people used their phones in innovative ways. This meant that the company had to employ engineers who had knowledge of mobile networks and a deep understanding of what the local market wanted.

"Because the mobile experience in Japan is so advanced you have to be ingrained in the local culture," said Collins. "People in Japan use mobiles to barcode products, if you are an engineer in Norway you might not know that."

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Now that mobile phone manufacturers are starting to embed barcode reading applications on the phone, mobile search and mobile marketing players must find a way to utilize this "tool".

Mobile phone manufacturers will not add a device/application unless there is a growing demand for it, AND there is an "infrastucture" built to accomodate it.

The "infrastructure" is/are a website(s) that allow ANYONE to create a 2d code and use them on any physical object to link a mobile phone to the Internet.

Look at how quickly and easily content grows with Google's Blogger, or the other blog sites. By allowing anyone on the Net (corporation or consumer) to create 2d codes, Google will be establishing even more ways to access this rapidly growing content, BUT from a mobile device.

One of the largest databases on the Net will soon merge with the physical world and be linked via the mobile phone using physical world hyperlinks.

What company has perfected the combination of finding information on the Net and providing relevant advertising?

Isn't the next logical step offering the same ability for the mobile?

Scanbuy Receives Two More Mobile Barcode Patents

Microsoft's Don Dodge was spot on when he said Scanbuy was a "Company To Watch in 2007"

This physical world connection company has spent the last couple years marketing a disruptive technology, camera phones and barcodes. In the mean time they continue to build on their intellectual property portfolio.

New York, NY, February 8, 2007- Scanbuy, Inc., (www.www.scanbuy.com) a global provider of wireless commerce solutions today announced it has been granted two U.S. patents around a mobile device and a barcode.

The first patent addresses a method for decoding and analyzing barcodes using a mobile device to transmit and access information via WAP, SMS, or MMS. The second is focused on a system that provides an algorithm designed to enhance images of barcodes to facilitate the decoding process.

US Patent No. 7,156,311, describing a system for decoding barcodes using a mobile device like a cell phone equipped with a digital camera, uses software located on the mobile device to enhance the barcode image and subsequently decode the barcode information. The software uses the camera to read the barcode, transmit the decoded information to a server in multiple ways such as WAP, SMS, or MMS, and then connects the device via a wireless network to the corresponding media content and/or information.

U.S. patent No. 7,168,621 named “section based algorithm for image enhancement”, provides a process for enhancing images of barcodes that can compensate for many shortcomings of camera-equipped mobile devices, allowing many more images captured by camera-phones to be decoded, and as a result enhances users’ decoding experience.

“The patents we’ve been granted demonstrate the depth and strength of Scanbuys, ever growing, IP portfolio, and, more importantly, help to position Scanbuy as the partner of choice for handset manufacturers, carriers, content providers and advertisers” said Jonathan Bulkeley, Chief Executive Officer of Scanbuy, Inc.

Yesterday Nokia agreed to embed Scanbuy's barcode scanning application on their phones.

In my opinion, these guys are taking a close look at Scanbuy. I will elaborate why in an upcoming post.

The physical world connection puzzle pieces are coming together.

Scanbuy Signs Global Partnership Agreement With Nokia

Scanbuy and Nokia in the same press release. A tip of the hat goes out to Scanbuy for getting Nokia to preload their barcode scanning application on their phones.

Physical World Connection adoption just got a lot closer.

New York, NY, February 7, 2007- Scanbuy, Inc., (www.scanbuy.com) a global provider of wireless commerce solutions, today announced a global partnership agreement with Nokia (www.nokia.com)the world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer, to preload Scanbuy’s mobile marketing software on Nokia handsets. The Greater China region (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau) will be the first of a planned multi-market rollout for Nokia and Scanbuy, Inc.

The Scanbuy technology will allow users of the Nokia S60 and S40 handsets to recognize and decode barcodes on products, media and advertising and to link directly to content and services from their handsets.

“We are thrilled to team up with Nokia to bring our technology to the largest mobile market and eventually the rest of the world,” said Jonathan Bulkeley, Chief Executive Officer of Scanbuy, Inc. “Within the next 24 months we expect 2D barcodes to become ubiquitous within Greater China as marketers and media deploy codes on all products and advertising.”

About Scanbuy
Scanbuy (www.scanbuy.com) is a global provider of mobile solutions allowing consumers to access mobile commerce and mobile marketing services in a simple and intuitive way. Scanbuy’s barcode-capture technology and services platforms are designed for handset manufacturers, wireless carriers, content providers and retailers to enable swift navigation from the handset to the physical world. Scanbuy is widely acknowledged as the leading solution provider in this emerging market which displays strong growth potential for the consumer wireless market throughout the world. Founded in New York in March 2000, Scanbuy is led by a pioneer in media and e-commerce and has a strong intellectual property portfolio with over 25 patents filed in the US and internationally since 2001. Scanbuy made Fortune’s 2005 list of “25 Breakout Companies” and the “Top 100 Companies in North America” in Red Herring in 2006. The company's investors include Longworth Venture Partners, Masthead Venture Partners and Hudson Ventures.

Last year Nokia invited me to give a presentation on what the "Mobile Internet" will look like. My presentation titled "Nokia, Connecting MORE Than People", included physical world hyperlinks and mobile phones.

With Scanbuy's help, Nokia now connects more than people.

2D Code....Would You Like Static Or Dynamic?

Philippe Bornstein over at Live in a Click discovers the European Central Bank using a QR code to provide foreign exchange rates.

It also shows us how a Physical World Hyperlink (PWH) can provide static and dynamic information.

The reference rates are based on the regular daily concertation procedure between central banks within and outside the European System of Central Banks, which normally takes place at 2.15 p.m. ECB time (CET).

This application provides a great illustration of how a 2d code, physical world hyperlink (PWH), can offer dynamic and static functions.

In this case, the URL is embedded in the code, it is linked to a specific site. When a cameraphone scans the 2d code, it sees http://www.ecb.int/euro.html and the browser goes to that site. The 2d code is static but it's function is dynamic. Foreign exchange rates are dynamic, constantly changing.

Physical world hyperlinks are just that. An identifier that will direct a mobile user to specific content on/through the Net. Just like a hyperlink on a website, a PWH can also be changed frequently to link to different sites.

Down the road, the 2D code will offer more of a dynamic function. A computer/server will resolve the 2d code and direct the user to various sites that can be changed without physically changing the 2d code that's already in print. What site you are directed to can be determined by your location, age, sex, time of day etc.

If the European Central Bank was able to change the targeted site for various users (difft countries, languages etc) that would make the 2d code dynamic.

An easy way to understand it:

The 2d code has one URL embedded in it (static) but the content on the site changes (dynamic).
The 2d code can be resolved to any site(dynamic) and the site content can be static or dynamic.

Generate Your Own Physical World Hyperlink

Here's another site that offers the ability to create your own physical world hyperlinks. The key point to note is that there isn't any barrier to entry in this space. Just like a website, hyperlinks can be created pretty easily.

Because their is no barrier to entry, a 2d code standard will occur when Google, Microsoft or Yahoo (major players) develop their own physical world hyperlink application.

There are 2 ways in which a standard occurs. Either you are the biggest and can force adoption, or you are so innovative that others follow.

Innovative companies don't need to have a standard in order to compete. The market chooses a standard. It is my belief that some companies are trying to force a 2d code standard because their own adoption efforts have been unsuccessful and by being in charge of creating this standard, it will allow them to compete.

From AJA Magazine OpenQRCode Generator


OpenQRCode is a new one page service to generate free QR Code, a new 2D Barcode standard from Japan which started to become widely adopted in industry.

What Is Web 2.0? It Is A Dynamic Internet

I thought I would bring out the pondering pen this week.

This week Microsoft released their new operating system Vista. Some say Microsoft continues to lose to Google because Microsoft still focuses on the power of the device, versus the power of the Net. They haven't catered their biz, or placed enough emphasis, on the real "device" that needs operating systemS, the Internet.

In the mean time, they have missed out on numerous billion dollar revenue streams.

I thought it would be a good time to discuss Web 2.0 and what I think it consists of.

Most of the applications and definitions I have seen for Web 2.0 seem to be software applications on the Net, that make information that already exists on the Net, easier to find or use. While this is great that the Net is being mastered, I wouldn't label it next generation.

In my opinion Web 2.0 is, or occurs:

1. when a physical object or location is able to retrieve or deliver information from the Net

2. when the Net allows you to retrieve information from ANY physical object or location that is remote from you.

Web 2.0 is about retrieving and delivering realtime information through the Net from another dimension. If you look at the hottest sites, the ones getting bought out by the major players, they are all providing static information.

It will arrive when Internet connections to any electronic device are as prevalent as electricity.

I have discussed at great length the various ways physical objects can be connected to the net, but what are the possibilities when a physical object or any internet enabled device is/can be continuously connected to the Net?

In my opinion Web 2.0 versus Web 1.0, switches from retrieving info from the net, to info being delivered thru the Net.

Content retrieval to dynamic content creation.

The emphasis of content shifts from what occurred to what is occurring.
What happened to what is happening.
The shift goes from static info/content to dynamic info/content.

A massive amount of data will be created when physical objects are/can be connected to the Net. That is Web 2.0

The pony express provided the first non verbal communication application. Delivering static information. The telephone provided the first device for communicating dynamic information.

Then look what happened when the telephone became mobile.
Everyone has asked themselves at one point, "how did we ever manage without cellphones"?
The intial function again was for communication (dynamic)
Then the mobile phone offered Internet access. (static info retrieval)
Then when the mobile phone included a camera. We can now send photos. (static)

Pictures and video from a digital camera or mobile phone are uploaded to the Net's ever increasing database...a one way process of providing static info.

The power comes when your camera phone (and other electronic devices/equipment) are able to deliver realtime data...dynamic.

What happens when your camera phone can stream video? You can now deliver dynamic information from a mobile device. See the dimension that is added?

Here are a couple examples of what I think Web 2.0 is.

1. I pull up a Google Map or Google Earth and click on a streetcam icon for a live feed of 5th Avenue. Street cam widgets on a website allow realtime viewing on a map.

2. I can turn down my air conditioner from a remote location (with PC or mobile) AND an AC repairman can diagnose a problem with AC through the Net.

I will be adding this post to the sidebar of PP because I want you to include what you think Web 2.0 is.

What is your idea of Web 2.0?

Tagit And UpCode Named As Global Peer Award Finalists

MobileMonday is honored to welcome representatives from these winners to Barcelona to compete in the Global Peer Awards competition 2007.

Physical World Connection players Tagit , and UpCode and their 2d code scanning applications were named as Global Peer Award Finalists.


Tagit has “tagged” on the under-utilized power of camera phones by developing an integrated image-recognition and customer-interaction platform.


UpCode™ is revolutionary and interactive. It is an optical code reader that uses mobile phones/devices to add any electronic information or system to printed products. With the application it is possible to integrate all businesses, and all forms of eCommerce, with print media. UpCode is the link between all media

The Global Peer Awards finalists are best-in-breed companies who have demonstrated exceptionally innovative mobile technologies, services and concepts. Most finalists have reached this point by prevailing in a local selection process organized at the local MoMo chapter level.