Will Google Make Scanbuy A Mobile Barcode Winner?

One company that could benefit from Google's mobile-barcode push: New York's Scanbuy, which makes barcode reading software for cellphones.

Google is pushing its newspaper advertisers to try out "2D barcodes," which, when scanned by a cellphone camera, take you to an advertiser's mobile Web site, coupon, map, etc. If that kind of technology ever takes off in the U.S., one winner could be Scanbuy, which is already making and distributing barcode scanning software.

Google Testing 2D Bar Codes on Print Ads for Cell Phones

Google is testing 2D bar codes for cell phone cameras on print ads. The plan is to make advertising more useful for readers and more measurable for advertisers. 2D barcodes allow readers to “click” on interesting print ads with their cellphones and seamlessly connect to relevant online content.

Mobile Phone Tickets for Eurostar Passengers

Eurostar is set to encourage its customers to go ticketless – with mobile phone barcodes letting them on board instead of old-fashioned bits of paper.

The Evening Standard has reported that the cross-channel train service is to pilot a scheme in the summer which will let customers flash their phone at a ticket barrier rather than show them to an inspector at the check-in gate.

Moves have recently been initiated to ensure that worldwide airlines will soon be able to have a uniform barcode system to let travelers display ticket barcodes on their handsets.

Trace The Fish by Mobile Phone

Norwegians are particular about the fish they eat. Soon they may be able to check when it was caught, and where, using their mobile phone.

The cooperative food chain Coop is currently testing out a system by which the customers may use their mobile phone to trace the fish from the sea to the store, reading a bar code on the outside packing.

By scanning the bar code, a signal is sent to a data base, which in turn sends back the information on where the fish was produced, when it was packaged and the expiry date.