Efforts to implement retail 2D bar codes in stores are accelerating: Sears, in conjuction with vendor ScanBuy, became the first U.S. retailer to begin a public trial that started in mid-December at a store in Marietta, Georgia. As opposed the the traditional row of black lines (a 1D barcode), 2D barcodes look like a grid and make use of a second, vertical dimension, allowing them to store more data. What Sears hopes to do is to allow a cell phone's digital camera "look" at a small 2D bar code on an advertisement, which launches an applet. A server interprets the bar code and the phone then launches a Web browser and deep-links to a page on that site, typically the Web site of the advertiser.
Currently, the biggest concern, which is also likely to be the most short-lived, is that the service is available on a relatively few phones in the United States. The concern about a shortage of supported phones was mentioned by a Sears manager involved in the trial.
Note: I've edited this to clarify that Sears is the first to use these in retail stores, since many users seem to think that this article implied that Sears was the first to use them ever, which is, of course, not true.
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Google toolbar with spellcheck... look into it.
Google toolbar with spellcheck... look into it.
meh, I typed it while I was dead in CoD4 :p
I'm certain this is widely used in Japan...
but these haven't ben used on products in the ame way that 1D barcodes have, they also said the sears one is a grid with only two rows, so a low lett complex.
I wonder what a cashier would do in the same situation with a 2-D bar code?
I wonder what a cashier would do in the same situation with a 2-D bar code?
2d barcodes are 10,000 superior to 1d. If the barcord is damaged and cannot be read, it will read itsself to you.
I wonder what a cashier would do in the same situation with a 2-D bar code?
2d barcodes are 10,000 superior to 1d. If the barcord is damaged and cannot be read, it will read itsself to you.
What? is that some sort of "in soviet russia..." joke?
"In Soviet Russia Barcodes read YOU!"
I wonder what a cashier would do in the same situation with a 2-D bar code?
There are always sku's to rescue you.
I'm certain this is widely used in Japan...
So who is this N. Kelly, Design Ethnographer and do they really want me to have their Bizcard?
http://www.gotomobile.com/wp-content/uploa...dia_qr_code.PNG
I'm certain this is widely used in Japan...
Heh its said
Contact Email: kelly@gotomedia.com
Mobile Phone: 4159907005
Work Phone: 4158647007
cool huh?
Barcodes contain the UPC number, which applies across companies, it's not limited to one store.
Seen them before
I had to look "Rick Roll" up. Now that's funny!
There are a few online databases that have data for many products. Barcodepedia and UPC database for example. You can use a web cam to read the bar code, a USB bar code scanner or type the number in manually. For example, 020626722124.
Of course 2D bar codes store far more data so I guess typing it in manually would be out of the question. I don't know of any PC program that decodes them at the moment but no doubt there are some out there or will be eventually.
Last edited by TRC on 21 Jan 2008 - 14:46
Also wondering what would happen when the code becomes unreadable...
Can someone change the post title to "Sears finally figures out 2d bar-codes"
I'd be worried if the new barcode got damaged...
They're not really talking about using these in shops as a replacement for standard barcodes, they're using them where they've been used for years - in advertisements in the shops. I'd guess, in theory, these require a full URL stored in the barcode which isn't really feasible with a longer barcode as the reader wouldn't be able to see it in it's Field of View.
In practice though, they're sending the barcode to a server to be read and that's sending back a URL, so they could just store an ID number and stick to a 2D barcode. I'd guess this is because phone's aren't generally powerful enough to do the image reading required for 2D barcodes (though I'd guess they could manage 1D barcodes easily!
Seems to me they're doing this because they can rather than working out the best way to do so...
You're assuming I have a camera phone (nope, a non-camera Blackberry) and want to view your site NOW (as opposed to at home where I can use a 24" screen and broadband connection to see a potentially more informative site). This is better than a "Visit us at xxxxx.com" label how?
Because it's the future!
Actually this technology can and is used for more than just sending you to a web site to see ads. If you look at a modern movie reel you'll see these along the edge of the film strip, they actually store the digital audio track. Pretty cool. Of course that's a really long code. On retail products they can store more information about said product than the older type though, so that's less info that has to be stored in an external database. Also as mentioned the USPS and other carriers use them for their tracking software.
I'm not sure what software I need on my phone to be able to interpret the image taken with the camera, hmm.
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