The Times To Use Mobile Barcodes

Reading through last weeks New Media Age I spotted a small press release that The Times has signed up with Hewlett-Packard using their Active Print Glass application.

The promotion enables readers to enter a competition by taking a picture of a barcode with their Series 60 camera phone.

The Times is stressing that this is just a test, but they are keen to gauge reader's reactions to the service.

It's great to see more organisations trying the new technology out here in the UK. The BBC is also using the same technolgy to support it's Coast programme as i have mentioned before.

At present we have a selection of different formats to choose from in this country, where as in Japan the QR code is king. If only the operators would preload a barcode scanning applcation onto their handsets, it would really open the market up and give the mobile internet a real boost it becomes easy for brands to market off portal.