S60 Open to new features

I think making the reader a part of every S60 (camera) phone would be a very good start. So far the app is only available for a very limited number of handsets.

I wholeheartedly agree with the usefulness of 2D-barcodes and would say it should be mandatory software on at least all N-Series and E-Series phones. I was surprised that it's not available for the E65 (which is otherwise just what the doctor ordered for me).

Cheers from down under,

Leo

Hi Leo! I fully agree with you, the reader application should be available (if not built-in) for all camera phones. So far we have limited the availability to certain models which have powerful enough camera. E65's camera is the standard 2MPix fixed-focus module that is found in a large number of S60 devices. With that camera it's possible to read some codes but not all.

My first reply to Tommi's question is: let's close the loop and have a reader application available for all S60 devices (with the disclaimer that it will at least read all the codes generated by Nokia Mobile Code generator). What do you think?

Ciao

I agree, ideally should be included into every S60. It can be included into the Nokia Catalog to maximize the distribution.

Alessandro

> What should Nokia do next with 2D barcodes?

1. Open up the API if you didn't do it already, and open up the source code for the reference examples (maybe for the whole current barcode reader app?)

2. Guarantee it to be present in all new smartphonbes for at least 1-2 years

3. Let everybody build services on top of it and earn money :)

Hi

The barcode reader might become a very useful technology. But just giving the app and API is not enough. Some ideas and guidelines for possible uses in the real world would be great. By guidelines I mean real use scenarios or testimonials of people who are using it with success. Otherwise, most people will be reluctant to make the first steps.
I'm thinking about a project similar to the Nokia RFID phone in a university environment.
It also depends on the targeted users ( E or N users, or both).

Good bye ( and good work!),
Dragos

How much information you can fit in a 2-D barcode?

It would be way cool to encode vCards and vCal entries into a 2-D barcode. Even just the minimum, name and a phone number or a date and a short description.

You could save information straight from business cards, ads or posters - cheap to make and no internet connection needed, just what most people want.

How about making the Barcode Reader actually work? I still get the 'component is already installed error' when I try to install the SIS on my N73(39.01) V3.0704.1.0.1.

@erkka: It's totally feasible.

@Anonymous, the problem is not in the Barcode reader but in N73. It cannot be installed on operator variants (and no need for conspiracy theories, please :) The problem is already fixed but it takes time to get the new firmware to customers like you.

I agree 2D barcodes are cool and have a lot of potential, but to really catch on I think...

• The readers need to be more widespread. S60 should make it a standard feature in the platform (with poor camera warnings as discussed above), Nokia should stick it into S40 devices and other phone manufacturers need to be encouraged too. Of course this is not something Nokia/S60 can do on their own, so maybe there needs to be some kind of independent industry forum (if there isn't already)

• In parallel to spreading the readers there need to be compelling services built around the barcodes. Encoding a URL is fun, but there's so much more that can be done. Look at what the Japanese have done: Business cards frequently have a 2D barcode printed on them which can be scanned and adds that person's details to your address book; you can scan codes in catalogues to order items which are billed to your phone bill; etc. We need stuff like that in the rest of the world - but again it will take the involvement of many players (handset makers, operators, shops etc.) to make it happen and they need to agree on standards to make it all interoperable.

I really hope these things take off, but I think there is still much to be done before it becomes mainstream. I guess barcodes will compete with NFC in some areas, but I think they can complement each other too. Interesting times ahead.

@Jukka: Yeah :) It seems I've just been using wrong kind of generators, but QuickMark seems to do the trick for vCards.

I'm still looking for an encoder for vCal-entries. Any tips?

@Jukka: Thanks for the explanation, I'm very grateful. Although my N73 is not an operator variant - it's unbranded - it was a UK model.

On an off topic point, I think something needs to be done about the issue of having so many different firmware variants. It caused a lot of anger when updates weren't available for certain versions, and seems to achieve nothing but to make more problems for both Nokia and its customers.

Some random musings:

We need to generate codes..MANY CODES.. Physical codes. Through mediachannels(the advertising way) this will be a hassle..

I would say easy ordering of personal code stickers. So go for the social dimension. Highschools giving eachother stamps with codes and exchanging codes. Say you would print out (Flickr?)pictures at a kiosk. On the back of the picture is the code with the url of the pic(where you can leave a comment)

Bus and train schedules

Maybe a Nokiagame around codes???

I like the game feature. What about when Nokia finally gets around to running commercials in the US, if the commercial had a barcode on the bottom corner or something, and you could scan it to get a free download, or in the game scenario, a hint of some sort.

I mean, you'd have 30 seconds to be ready. It needs to be more prevalent, though.

Posted by: Ricky Cadden | April 26, 2007 06:42 PM

Right on, some kind of game thing would be very cool. In Europe we are not seeing that many codes yet around us.

I remember there was a children's game involving enterin the numbers from linear barcodes (from breakfast cereals etc.)

It's possible to encode a vCard into a QR code, the problem is that the Nokia Reader can't save it into Contacts, just parses it for links or numbers. The Quickmark barcode reader for S60v3 can save it directly to Contacts.

Just the fact that there is a reader doesn't do much for us. There must be some kind of a "standard" that says what the code means. Like the Nokia reader, it'll just display the text that's in the code. Woohoo. Not much of a use for that. (Yes, some codes it can recognize for what they might mean).

I personally don't think if Nokia should be doing this kind of thing but rather third parties (and not just because I'm doing it myself ;). I don't like the idea that Nokia is putting more and more of half-made semi-working software in the phones rather than doing the most important thing: making working phones with working basic features. Quality over quantity.

And I wouldn't be holding my breath for any APIs, we've been waiting for a long time for other useful APIs and they're probably never going to arrive. Why would this be any different :P

(Yeah, I'm a bit bitter today)

Well, if bar code reader is useless without translating the scan results into some kind of "meaning", isn't it logical to extract some functionality of it into API. So that 3rd party apps could get that 'string' from the bar code and translate in a way they like.

Or wise versa why not make an open API for bar code reader plugins so that 3rd party plugins could supply this "translation into meaning" part?

Yep I have a Cingular 8525 and just downloaded the quickmarks reader yesterday.

There seems to be a real lack of decent encoder sites out there.

The windows live site doesn't even implement Vcards properly.

Quickmarks is the best one I've come across yet.

Cheers,
Dean

Hi Dean! Could you post the link to Windows Live site you mention, I haven't notice it would be back online.

Have you tried http://mobilecodes.nokia.com already?

Yeh I got the tip off from

http://theponderingprimate.blogspot.com/

that it was back up (with a changed url) here

https://barcode.ideas.live-int.com/

Like I said the quickmark encoder is a better solution.

Cheers,
Dean

http://theponderingprimate.blogspot.com/2007/05/microsofts-windows-live-barcode-site.html is where I found the site is back up.

Like I said - it's crap though.

As for the nokia site - woohoo how basic can you get - I really wouldn't have thought all the functionality that Quickmark is providing on their site was all that hard to do.....guess it is seeing microsoft and nokia cant do it.

Still looking for a Vcal encoder though.

Thanks for the link!

You know it might not be a case of what you can do, but what you want to do to try and keep it simple enough.

I agree Vcard and Vcal would make a nice addition. Anybody know what's that 'BIZCARD' thing on MS Live site? Does anybody else use that?

qode is a patented mobile barcode reader from Neomedia Technologies.

Any body claiming to own a patent without actually providing the patent number to detail what it actualllly covers is spamming.

Seeing Qcode neglected to provide any USPTO numbers (you are claiming US patents corect?) they are full of crap.

Cheers,
Dean
www.collins.net.pr/blog

Nokia, KPN and Telefónica O2 Europe have joined the Mobile Codes Consortium (MC2).
http://www.mobilecodes.org/JuneAnnouncement.pdf

Hi Tommi

Is the reader sis available for the N95 and if so is the application a later version than the one currently loaded on N95's in the UK?
The N95 reader misreads lablz.com as labm.com

LABLZ.COM works fine.

Our platform allows users to create their own instant widgets for the iPhone, S60 and Opera.

2d codes will play many key roles for us.

Thanks
Simon

I think it's not available as a separate download for N95, just the built-in app.

> The N95 reader misreads lablz.com as labm.com

Now, that's strange. Tried it, happens with me too.

I'll ask around.

Hi Simon, thanks for letting us know. Yes, there seems to be a problem with at least mobilecodes.nokia.com and your URL. However with datamatrix.kaywa.com I didn't get the same result. Which code generator did you use?

About the N95's reader, it's not downloadable. N95's firmware always has the latest version built-in.

Hi Jukki
Sorry I haven't replied before.
Yes I tried the datamatrix generator and it's fine.
I'll just have to stick to upper case urls.

Hi Jukka
Sorry I haven't replied before.
Yes I tried the datamatrix generator and it's fine.
I'll just have to stick to upper case urls if I use the Nokia generator.

Encoding vCard or vCalendar items in qr code is easy.
First create a vCard or vCalendar file.
Host it on a website where the web server know the right mime types for vCard or vCalendar files.
Encode URL as qr code.

When the code is scanned, you get an url.
When you follow the URL the web browser of your phone load the file and suggest to save to contacts or to agenda.

@creativeConvergence:
For me it worked with the vCard! But are you sure with the vCalendar? I get the data but I can not save it like the vCard, because it opens in the notepad...?

Hi CreativeConvergence,

for me to method you described works fine for vCard! but I have problems with vCalendar :-(
The vCard is recognized by the N95. With the vCalendar file for me it is not possible to save it appropriate...? It just opens the office notes application.

any suggestions?

thanks
Paul