What’s the Power behind 2D Barcodes? Are they the Foundation of the Revival of Print Media?

What‘s the Power behind 2D Barcodes? Are they the Foundation of the Revival of Print Media? Paul Schmidmayr Martin Ebner Frank Kappe Social Learning / Computer and Information Services Institute for Information Systems and Computer Media

Introduction

Combination of 2 technologies:

2D Barcodes

Camera-equipped mobile phones

Link from the real world to the digital one

Overview

Types of 2D Barcodes

Mobile tags and camera equipped mobile phones

Applications of barcodes related to print media

Issues to be solved

Conclusion

2D-Barcodes für Mobile Tagging

QR-Code (QR)

„ Quick Response“ Code

develped by Denso-Wave Corp., Japan 1994

patent not exercised

originally for logistics applications

agreement between mobile network operator and mobile device manufacturer 2002 to use QR-Codes. Within 9 months barcode-readers (from 3G Vision) pre-installed on most of the new mobile devices. Meanwhile on approx. 75% of all jap. mobile phones

allows the coding of kanji-characters

Data Matrix (DM)

1988 developed by NASA, DoD and other companies

like QR-Code also ISO-standard

Requires approx. 37% less area than QR-Code for the same data

Beetagg (BT)

Swiss company ConnVision

Codes optimized for european devices (no autofocus and macrolens)

Support for several OS (Symbian, Windows Mobile, Palm, Java)

Branding (with QR-Code and Data Matrix also possible)

Proprietary (advantages vs. disadvantages)

Cooperations with several companies

ShotCode

Most seen in america

Big campaigns in Mexiko with Coca Cola

Diameter of code is usually: 3,5 cm

Capacity of data storage (1/2)

How many characters can be encoded?

Number of characters determines the size of the code (QR, DM). The question has to be: „which size of code can still be read with mobile devices?“

Recommendation: usage of service to shorten the URL to 16 characters max.

Capacity of data storage (2/2)

Encoding of data types (e.g. images)?

determined by the size of the code

Images are possible: the data can be split to several QR-Codes

Ringtones

Conclusion 2D Barcodes

QR-Code and Data Matrix ISO-standard

Open mobile alliance, GSM association, GS1 agreed last July to use both as a standard

interoperability reasons ask for standarized data format

Mobile tags and mobile phones

Placing the 2D Barcodes in the real world: „mobile tagging“

Barcode reader at the moment only pre-installed on high end devices

Reader for most java-enabled mobile phones available to download

Connetion to internet

How does it work?

1) starting barcode reader on mobile phone

2) directing the camera over the barcode

3) application decodes automatically

4) save data, follow link,...

Barcode-Reader

I-Nigma, Kaywa, Neoreader

Zxing Projekt von Google (Java-Library)

readers are free

for some codes generation and administration e.g.: BeeTagg, ShotCode with costs

applications (1/2)

business card (vCard)

calendar entry (iCalendar)

simple text

phone number

preformated SMS or email (subscription,...)

RssFeed

data exchange from the display of a second device

tattoo

print on clothes (T-Shirt, bags,...)

applications (2/2)

URL (mp3, video,...)

coupons (McDonalds)

print(newspaper, magazine, flyer,...)

blackboard

flatscreen

mobile payment (H&M, Scanbuy)

videos: Pet Shop Boys

applications print media

Welt Kompakt (Nov 2007): german newspaper: link from print to online content

Spektacle (Nov 2007): bi-monthly magazine for design, fashion and music (London); online update weekly basis

Google Print Ads (Nov 2007): barcodes as additional offer

Advantages for publisher

measurement: when people are reading which content in the newspaper.

topics with greatest interest

new revenue stream for newspapers: affiliate link

polls

comments on articles

whole interview as mp3-download

prize games

Advantage for reader/user

A short URL like tinyurl.com/6r2xhs needs about 41 keystrokes on a mobile device – and this is a short URL

The data entry is a barrier on mobile devices: also with the best content delievered

One pillar of Web 2.0 is the participation – 2D-Barcodes with mobile phones provide a simple and easy way for readers to participate on the content of the paper undependent of their location

Conclusion