One of those ‘only in Japan’ mobile technologies is barcodes, where you can point your cameraphone at posters or other objects with a special logo on them, take a photo, and your phone will do something relevant (for example, take you to a mobile internet site for the product that’s being advertised). It’s a neat spin on advertising that’s a bit more user-friendly than texting a shortcode.
Anyway, Nokia has decided it wants into the barcode game, with a new technology it’s calling Point&Find. Due to launch in 2008, it’ll act as an advertising service, and will work theoretically on any Symbian phone (including non-Nokia handsets).
You have to wonder why Nokia has developed its own version of barcode technology rather than partnered with a company that’s doing it already, but hey, they’re Nokia. They can probably afford to. Is it too much to hope that the advertising industry here will adopt just one mobile barcode format, rather than end up with one logo for you to snap if you have a Symbian phone, another for a regular Nokia phone, another for phones from other manufacturers…
(via MocoNews)
the Nokia product (from what I understand) does not use barcode technology… that’s why they didnt partner with a barcode technology provider! rather it uses pattern technology to match an image (such as a CD cover) with their database of products. Way, way better… assuming it works of course!
http://inbabble.com/2007/06/28/nokia-plans-to-replace-clicks-with-pointfind/
Richard.