I prefer the indirect encoding method, especially for the fact that it eliminates rouge and/or virus linked 2D codes.

Barcode systems susceptible to serious hacker attacks
http://www.heise-security.co.uk/news/101151

The indirect encoding method prevents these types of security exploits since there is no URL encoded directly within the 2D code.

Indirect encoding is the process of linking the target information to an index ("364528") and putting that unique identifier into a 2D barcode. The code reader on the mobile phone reads the 2D code and sends the code data over the Internet to a central resolution server that will tell the mobile phone what action is associated with the index (URL retrieval, Video/Music download, ect).

Cheers!

Brian:
2D code reading, no matter what the code used, will only be successful if any person with a camera cell phone can read any code. Otherwise, this will pass as a minor technology with groups of departmentalized supporters around the world.

The solution is a central processing point that will take any code read on any phone and route that inquiry to the reader provider - whether NeoMedia or ScanBuy or any other reader provider.

Your point about direct vs indirect is not supported by any facts. The Internet - indirect - is exactly the type of operation that is needed to allow any phone to read any code. The various mobile phone entities around the world seem to be moving this direction. The carriers see the ability for any phone to read any code as the only way to keep a user accessing 2D codes (more carrier revenue). GSMA certainly thinks so.

I am not sure if I fully understand the CTIA RFI, but this apparently is also going the route making code access universal.

Am I biased about this answer? No. Our company identification solution uses ANY camera cell phone, with or without Internet access, to read any ID, 2D codes or alpha-numeric characters. My statement is simple - if all the 2D code "reader" suppliers want success, they need to have a universal standard now. Your support of direct connect is not part of the ultimate solution.

Rick
www.RapidID.com

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NOTE: Comment from Brian Chee
everyone is welcome to their opinion. Yes a standard would be wonderful, but I'm hoping that market pressures will force a standard. Just like how Betamax was technically superior to VHS but Sony's Betamax standard eventually fell away as consumers adopted VHS instead.

Please keep the comments coming...such things help me justify the expense of doing large scale comparitive reviews in the lab. Blog postings are cheap, Shootouts cost a king's ransom and thusly we really want to make sure our readership really is interested before we blow a huge amount of bucks on a shootout.

Thanks everyone...

/brian chee

Brian,

Thank you for posting another article. My comment in your last article was not meant to be directed at you. My frustration comes from seeing other companies getting noticed. I know that there may have not been enough time to research everything or have received the proper response. If Scanbuy had the next best thing, what are they doing for the mobile industry to create a standard so that ALL types of codes? 1D & 2D bar codes, keywords, etc., ALL, can be used to link to the physical world around us, in one click with a mobile device. This is a life changing technology and would simplify life for consumers and web users. To only praise Scanbuy or point them out, IMO, for an inferior product, seems worthless for mobile device users. What are companies like Google, whose main income is "keyword" related, Microsoft who recently developed "Surface", doing about Neomedia?

Direct and Indirect, if one reader performs both options with the exception of reading proprietary codes, which reader would the consumer want, especially if they could use it anywhere they want U.S. and abroad?

I understand your middle-man comment. Neomedia's NeoReader is a permission based mobile platform. Can mobile spam be sent to my mobile if a QR code is clicked? Can a virus be embedded in the QR code to get all of my personal contact information? Can the brand, change offers in a QR code without changing the products QR code? When does the promotion for the printed QR code end? Will the 1/2 offer still be good a year later? Can I click a QR code to get the nearest location from the brand? Yes, there are some good things QR can be used for, I am not arguing that. The Scanlife option does the same thing, it has to go back to a server. If Google adopted / owned the NeoReader wouldn't the searches have to go back to the Google servers?

I am for QR, data matrix, 2D types of codes. Why? The NeoReader reads them also. The NeoReader simply offers more options.

I, like you, think that this is the next hot market. I would like to see Google or Microsoft doing something more about it to make our lives easier.

From a consumer, and a shareholder of all mentioned except Scanbuy.

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NOTE: Comments from Brian Chee
Nope...I'm just happy that folks consider this an important enough subject to comment. Considering that I get several thousand hits for every single comment, I always welcome comments.

Please keep it coming and yeah, I'd love to see a mixed standard where like a URI we can do both direct and indirect references in barcodes.

What's really going to force a standard? Consumers! Don't suffer in silence...the folks that commented strongly against the Sprint AD, email them, email the other carriers...email me...the reality is that when you're trying to adopt a new technology, you're not always going to have 20/20 hindsight to fall back upon.

/brian chee

Brian
I totally agree with you and so do many of the experts in this field. Standards come over time through consumer demands, and trials and errors. It is necessary with any new technology to find out what works, and what doesn't work, as well as what the consumers want as opposed to what they don't want first. Then the standards are built around those parameters.

As for the comments that the indirect method eliminates any chance of virus linked codes etc. that is not accurate. As we all know from the internet, with electronic technology you can not eliminate any kinds of such behavior. You can merely limit it to a certain extent, and prevent the mass spreading of it.

With cell phones, I have stated that when the time comes the cell phones themselves, and in particular the browsers, will have security packages available similar to what you have available on the WWW, but even that does not stop all attacks, and hackers will find holes in any technology given long enough.

Someone who posts here stated in another forum that there isn't enough memory on a smart phone for security packages. A year or two from now your cell phone will be your carry around computer, and even today, all one needs to do is buy a memory stick and stick it in most the top line smart phones, and they have all the memory they need.

But to go even further, there are companies that have been working on this very issue for over two years now developing solutions, so when the technology comes mainstream they will be ready with a product. Just like the standards being discussed, the security software will also be a consumer driven application that will be quite available when the consumer starts screaming for it and the demand is there for a company to market it for a profit. Right now the demand isnt there.

Hey folks:
If you're really interested in what other people think ALL in your target market (young un's) just slashdot and/or dig this blog article and if they accept it, well then we can get an avalanche of opinions from the early adopter age range that would most likely use these bar codes.

/brian chee

Telldodo presents an alternative to print barcodes: keywords that are easy to remember and easy to type in. Just enter the simple key-phrase at telldodo.com and get back the original URL, however complicated it may be. For example: “light saber toy”

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Comment from Brian Chee
hmmm....dodo, tastes like chicken... ;-)

Much thanks...sometimes I post google search words, but not as satisfying.

/brian chee