New Bar Codes Can Talk With Your Cellphone

Remember project DiMo? Yesterday evening I was reading this article of the NYTimes: New Bar Codes Can Talk With Your Cellphone… by Louise Story | April 1, 2007. Here are some excerpts:

[…] American universities and technology companies have been experimenting with the codes in their labs for several years. Now, as more cellphones come equipped with cameras and the ability to run small computer programs, the codes are beginning to appear on some state drivers’ licenses and on some mailing labels, mostly for commercial use.

[…] In the United States last fall, the Canadian alternative rock band Barenaked Ladies placed the codes on concert posters.

[…] Executives at Verizon, AT&T and Sprint declined to say whether they were in discussions with the companies that make the code reading technology. Bar code companies said the carriers stood to benefit from the codes because they might encourage consumers to add Internet service plans to their accounts and spend more time on their phones.”

[…] The consumer needs a reason to do it,” said Jim Levinger, chief executive of Nextcode, a bar code company. “They don’t just wake up and say, ‘Hey, let’s go scan some bar codes.’”

If you are wondering which are these universities… well yes, there is us! Find more on the class project: DiMo blog.